Legacy of the Fairies
by Sirup The Rising
Summary: 7 years in the future, Jellal is found by Natsu and Wendy and is brought back to a different Fairy Tail, who wants his help in the battle against evil. But there are secrets of the past waiting to be unraveled, about to change the world forever.
1. Prologue: A Dark Place

_**A/N****:**_ _Whew, yet another story I got around to add. This is actually one of the few I am actively working on at the moment and I hope to finish it soon. I am already getting WAY too attached to the character. The story is written from the viewpoint of Jellal Fernandes and hopefully I have not gone at made him too out of character. I just have a certain impression of this character.  
><strong>Spoiler alert: <strong>Be aware that this story contains spoilers up until chapter 254 in the manga. From there on, it is all my own imagination and takes a different turn. So if you have no idea who Acnologia is or how the battle on Tenrou Island concludes, I suggest you turn around and go read the chapters up until because they are EPIC._

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><p>Being alone in this cold, dark place with no comfort was, without a doubt, among the worst things I had been put through in my 19-year long life. Yes, even worse than back when I was possessed. Worse than when I was a slave.<p>

Over time, I have begun to remember these events from my past. Every night, these dark, cruel memories creep up on me like demons in the shadow. And here it is always night. It never ends. I now understand my punishment fully and I have no intention of escaping it, not even if they should decide to end my life.

However, this does not mean that I am not afraid. I am. The council meant it when they said that I would never see a living thing nor see the light of day ever again. I have long since lost track of time in this prison of mine. A month may have passed. Maybe only a week has gone by or even as much as a year.

My world consists solely of blackness. I have been deprived of all of my senses. When I look around, I see nothing but darkness. When I try to scream, the only answer is silence. When I try to touch my face, it is not there. It is a soundless black void of nothingness.

I do not fear this place, far from it. What I fear is myself or rather, losing myself. It is only a matter of time before I give in to the darkness again. Before I lose myself completely. The only thing that has kept me sane in all this time is the memories of a place outside this void and the people in it.

Erza. Natsu. Fairy Tail.

But there have been times where even these recollections of mine seemed too far out of my mind's reach. It was in this depth of despair that someone spoke to me. It was quite different from the voice of the Black Wizard, Zeref, whose orders I had carried out in the Tower of Heaven.

There was no hate left in this voice. Not a trace of anger and no hostility. Only sadness. Sadness and a glimmer of hope.

The voice told me to not give up. To not give into the darkness and lose myself once more. Someday soon, I would find myself being truly free.

Little did I know what this meant. I could never have seen the long chain of happenings that occurred after I heard this voice for the first time coming my way.


	2. 1: Freedom

_**A/N: **From a dark opening and on to something worse. This just goes to show how much pain and suffering I enjoy putting my favorite characters through. I am indeed a horrible, horrible person. I know you agree._

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><p>I was absolutely sure that I had died. In an instant, my world had collapsed without any prior warning. Heavy, hard objects had come down on me, crushing every bone in my body. Sharp white light had reached my eyes, leaving me blinded. Loud, rumbling and crunching noises had left my ears ringing.<p>

I could not move a finger. It was impossible for me to even just lift an eyelid. But I still felt pain. Hanging on to that one fact, the second hell broke loose. I am not sure whether I screamed when my body was burned, frozen over, electrocuted and violently torn apart, all in a matter of seconds.

Now it was all gone. There was no longer any pain. If this was what death was like, I welcomed it with open arms because this indeed felt like being free from all the suffering of the material world. But these hopes too were crushed as I suddenly felt something hurt badly within my chest.

"Come on. Why won't you start breathing? Why doesn't your heart beat? Why doesn't my magic work? Just... please. Please don't die!"

At the sound of a human voice, my eyes flew open and I took in a large amount of air into my empty lungs. Possibly too much as it felt as if knives had been stabbed through my chest afterwards.

"He's breathing! Thank goodness, he's alive."

Hearing the voice once again, I desperately tried to make my eyes get accustomed to the light faster while fighting the dull feeling of pain that ran through me. After a while, I was able to make out a silhouette above me. The silhouette then became the figure of a young girl with long blue hair and tearful eyes.

Despite the fact that my mind currently was as scattered as dust in the wind, I knew exactly who the girl was. After all, it was not the first time she had saved me from death.

"Wendy."

I was surprised at the sound of my own voice, hoarse and weak after a long time of no use. It was almost unrecognizable to me and it was very painful to use it. That, however, was not going to stop me from talking.

"I'm sorry."

I was not really sure what I was apologizing for exactly and my voice ended up cracking at the end. I only realized that I was crying when I felt something warm and wet run from my eyes. And I was not alone with the tears. Her eyes were red and swollen, which gave it away.

"But... we heard the prison was destroyed... and that every last trace of it had been annihilated. How... how can you be alive?"

Most of what she asked me was far from what I could comprehend. All I understood was that I had survived. I had gotten yet another chance at life. I just did not get why.

"Wendy!"

Another voice, and a familiar one as well. Hearing the approaching footsteps in running tempo, I forced myself to sit up, despite my weak body protesting. Lying on the ground made me feel defenseless, not that I was in any state to do anything. Wendy was quick to support me when I realized that I could not sit straight by myself. And then I saw him.

There he was, standing on a large rock in the middle of a river: Pink, spiky hair. A white scarf decorated with scales. His crimson guild tattoo showing on his right arm. His face with an expression of clear disbelief. The person that I believed in the most.

Natsu Dragneel. The Fire Dragon Slayer of Fairy Tail. I could feel how my hands started shaking and how I felt a shiver run down my spine as he stared at me in shock. How low I felt in his presence. I had to avert my eyes. I had not forgotten how he had tried to stand up to the council to prevent them from taking me away, despite all I had put him and his friends through.

I heard him land in the shallow river water, approaching me slowly. With every step, I felt fear crawling up on me. Wendy seemed to be tense as well from the way she clung to my arm. As the footsteps came to a halt, I dared to shift my gaze upwards ever so slightly. I was genuinely taken by surprise.

Falling to his knees in front of me, his fist suddenly made contact with my cheek. It was not fierce enough to send me flying, but I could most certainly feel it and was quite sure that it would leave a mark where it had hit.

"Natsu!" Wendy gasped in shock.

"That was for making Erza cry again, you bastard," he said in a shaky, dangerously low voice. "Every time we think you're gone for good, you turn up again alive." His voice rose to a yell. "Why is that? How did you survive?"

Wendy had to let go of me in order to stop Natsu from landing another punch to my face. Somehow, I manage to stay sitting. On the inside, I was shocked. They thought I was dead and they were crying... for me. Someone actually cared for me and that touched something deep inside of my heart.

I broke down in tears over Natsu's words and Wendy's kindness, so we all ended up sitting there, crying more or less over it all. In relief and, in my case, happiness. There was still hope indeed.

Later that same day, Natsu and Wendy brought me along to their camp where a group of their comrades: The two flying cats, Happy and Charle, who were the partners of the two Dragon Slayers and Lucy Heartfilia, a charming young celestial wizard.

As it turned out, the group had been on their way back from a quest when Wendy had caught my scent and Natsu had followed her. Now they wanted me to return with them to Fairy Tail to clear up everything. I honestly was not sure if I wanted to go, but I also knew that I could not avoid the scariest part of my survival forever.

Sooner or later, Erza was bound to find out that I was alive and I knew she would not rest until she had found me.


	3. 2: Reunion

_**A/N:** __Another chapter that I got around to write into a document__. I always_ _do drafts in little notebooks I carry with me all the time and I have reached the 5th chapter there. What can I say? I like being ahead.  
>Oh well, onto the story. If you read it, I would love if you left a review with your thoughts. It would be very much appreciated~<em>

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><p>With every minute that passed by, we came closer and closer to Magnolia Town and with it, the Fairy Tail guild. Our group had taken somewhat of a detour, avoiding larger roads and crowded places, all in order to prevent the risk of the wrong people recognizing my face.<p>

We could however not ignore the fact that none of us knew how the rest of the Fairy Tail wizards would react when I showed up on their doorstep. Especially Erza was on our minds. Though her name was not uttered even once, I knew that it was her everyone was most worried about. I was worried about her as well.

I had not seen Erza since the destruction of Nirvana, when I had been captured by the Rune Knights, the army working directly under the order of the Magic Council. Was I dead to her now? Would it be better if I stayed that way? Many possibilities crossed my mind as we wandered and soon enough, we had reached Magnolia Town.

The large guild doors appeared very intimidating as I stood there before them. Looking to my side, I saw Natsu with a serious frown upon his face. His cat partner, Happy, seemed worried as well. Their expressions did not exactly calm my nerves.

Then Natsu put on a determined smile and shot me a glance full of confidence that I wished I could match before he pushed the large doors open.

"We're back!"

Natsu's sudden appearance in the guild entrance had caught the attention of everyone in the large guild hall in an instant. It became clear to me how much Natsu meant to everyone who ever met him and not just me as loud roars had broken out in every corner of the room, calling out to the Dragon Slayer boy.

And then it all quieted down as fast as it had come. I knew exactly what that meant. They had all seen me. I was not sure how many of them actually knew who I was, but there was certainly someone, who seemed to know my face.

"You're...?"

A young black-haired man had stood up from his seat at one of the tables. His shirtless appearance might have been comical had it not been in this situation. I believed he had been with Natsu and the others in the fight against Oracion Seis, but I was not completely sure.

"No... it's impossible."

My head jerked upwards at the sound of a female voice and my eyes went past all of the guild members sitting at the tables, falling upon the two people, who had been coming down the stairs at the far end of the hall. One was a small old man, whom I recognized as Makarov, the Guild Master of Fairy Tail, but the other I found far more interesting.

"Erza..."

My voice was only a mere whisper, but everything had fallen so quiet that it was for all to hear. With my eyes locked on her, I watched Erza as she began to walk towards me, step by step. Her face was twisted in an expression between confusion and disbelief.

"Jellal."

I winced at the sound of my name coming from Erza. This was it. She was going to take it all out on me. I was sure of it. Now that I remembered everything, I knew why she had been so angry with me and been so hurt. Whatever came next, I deserved that and more. Closing my eyes, I awaited Erza's wrath with fear.

So when I felt a pair of arms wrap around me, I was not sure how I should react to it. As I opened my eyes, I found Erza holding me in a tight and safe embrace. I could do nothing but to stand there in shock, not understanding what had just happened.

"I never thought I would see you again. When I heard the prison had been destroyed, I was certain that you had been killed." She let go of me and took my hands instead as she came to face me. "But you're alive. It's really you, isn't it?"

The smile on Erza's face might have been weak, but it was genuine and full of hope. The heavy curse which I had put her under in the past seemed to have been completely lifted.

"Yeah," I replied, carefully returning her smile. "It's me. And this time, it's for real. I am so sorry Erza, for all I did. I remember now. I remember everything." I took a deep breath before I passed out during the continuous stream of words. "But it doesn't change my resolve. I will repent for my past crimes, I swear."

I clenched her hands tightly as I spilled out my heart in front of her. I payed no attention to all of the people with their eyes fixed on us. The only thing in my world was Erza and I was desperate to let her know how I felt.

"You... remember?" Erza's smile suddenly vanished as snow in the sun. "All of your memories have returned? But... when? How?" Her stream of words stopped and her small smile returned. "I get it now. I must have happened to you too. You haven't changed one bit in the years that have passed, neither body nor mind."

My brows went into a perplexed frown. She did not look any different from when I had last seen her either. The same went for Natsu and Wendy. What did she mean by "the years that had passed"? My heart began to beat faster, thinking that she might be referring to the time that had passed since we had met in the Tower of Heaven. Did she really think that I was deceiving her? That I was a liar? But Erza was quick to pick up on my desperation.

"I see. You haven't realized it yet. I suppose that should not come as a surprise. How should you have known?" Erza let go of one of my hands and put it on my other while looking back at Makarov over her shoulder. She then picked up where she had left off.

"It's been 7 years, Jellal. 7 years since the prison that held you was destroyed by unknown forces. And 7 years since the Black Dragon appeared in the sky."


	4. 3: With a Guild

_**A/N:** Another chapter already. I have now written the draft from chapter 6 and I promise that from there on out, we will have some more action. The real fun should start around chapter 8 or so. So yeah, in my drafts, I will always be at least 3 chapters ahead from what the last chapter from what I have uploaded here. This way, I can tweak the chapters if I decide to end the story early. So far I can't see the story ending in less than 18-20 chapters from now. I have a looooong storyline planned for this.  
>I would like to thank <strong>Serpent Tailed Angel <strong>for her review of chapter 2. You honestly made my day~  
><em>

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><p>It took a while before Erza's explanation began to sink in so that I could understand. 7 years earlier, Fairy Tail had held an S-class exam in a sacred place called "Tenrou Island", which had belonged to the guild since its founding. There they had been attacked by a dark guild known as Grimoire Heart, who had sought to create a world for only wizards to live in.<p>

The long battle between the two guilds had concluded with the destruction of the island by a creature known as the Black Dragon. For the next 7 years, the guild members, that had been caught up in the attack had been frozen in time only to awaken again now. They believed that something similar had happened to me, though they were unable to explain since I had never set foot on that island.

I found it hard to conceive that so many years had passed without me knowing. But in the end, it meant close to nothing. My knowledge of magic might be great, but I had to admit that my knowledge of the world was rather limited.

After having come to Fairy Tail, I quickly learned that 7 years meant a lot. The people, who had experienced the past years admitted that my sins seemed far away and that it was no longer a worry to them. Rather, it was the looming threat of the Black Dragon and dark guilds that occupied everyone's minds.

In the past 7 years, Fairy Tail had become weaker without their Guild Master and strongest members, but they were currently fighting their way back to the top, both by becoming stronger and also by recruiting powerful wizards for their cause.

It was after the discussion of participating in a competition called the "Grand Magic Games" in order to become the number one guild in Fiore again that Master Makarov came to me. I had been staying with Fairy Tail for about half a month doing nothing but sulk so to speak. Maybe I was not completely trusted. Maybe I was the one being to unsure. Regardless, Makarov wanted to know where I stood.

"What are you going to do now that you're here?"

Makarov casually sat down beside me at my usual table away from the crowd and the current fight that was going on, involving Natsu and his rival, the ice wizard, Gray Fullbuster. One of Fairy Tail's S-class wizards, Mirajane, joined us.

"I really don't know," I admitted, folding my hands and lowering my head. "I have nowhere to go. No one even knows that I am alive. Just what can I do?"

"You could stay with Fairy Tail," Mirajane suggested. "We know you're alive. And even if you refuse to believe it, to us you are already a part of our family."

"How can I be?" I asked her, having little faith in the kind-hearted waitress. "I don't deserve the kindness everyone here shows me." My voice turned to a whisper. "And I don't deserve to be here."

"Doesn't Erza deserve to have you near if that is what she wants? And what about Wendy and Natsu? If they want you to stay with the guild, would you do so? Don't you at least owe them that?" Makarov gave me a hard stare. "Even if you feel that you don't deserve their kindness, they certainly deserve yours and your respect along with it."

"What do you say? Won't you stay with us?" Mirajane put a hand on my shoulder, giving me a warm smile. "We could also really use your help to make our guild strong. Don't you agree, Master?"

"Indeed. You, Laxus and Erza alone won't be enough to stand against our opponents in the future and as it stands, you are our only official S-class wizards." Makarov nodded as he spoke. "We do have members strong enough to aim for that rank, but we won't be able to hold another exam for quite a while." He looked at me again. "Your help would be greatly appreciated."

"And that is far from all of it," a third person added. Turning my head, I found Laxus, the Lightning Dragon Slayer, sitting at the other side of the table. "Doing quests to help people and regain Fairy Tail's reputation in the process. There is only so much you can do alone, but with a guild backing you up, there are no limits to it."

"So even Laxus is backing you up," Makarov said in an approving tone. Honestly, I had never thought that one of the strongest wizards in the guild supporting having me join the guild. Makarov chuckled. "And you still doubt our decision, eh?"

It felt very awkward sitting there between the three of them. They truly wanted me to join their guild. To become a Fairy Tail wizard and one of their comrades. Somewhere inside, I wanted to take them up on their offer, but I could not bring myself to do it.

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?"

The fight in the hall had ended at last without us noticing and Natsu was already headed towards our table. Erza, Wendy as well as Gray, Lucy and Gajeel, yet another Fairy Tail Dragon Slayer, were all right behind him, curious of course. With my company, who would not be?

"Oh, we were just discussing Jellal's possible enrollment in the guild. I think we got him persuaded into joining us." I turned my head to look at Mirajane, my eyes wide open. I realized what she was planning and it was brilliant.

"You did?" Natsu asked, brightening up with a happy grin all over his face. "That is just awesome! Then you'll be one of us!" His sudden cheerfulness astonished me and as nothing but agreeing nods and smile were to be seen, I felt encouraged to do something I would not have done just 5 minutes earlier. I wanted to take a chance.

"They sure did," I said, giving Mirajane a grateful look before facing Makarov. "Master Makarov, I will take you up on your offer. That is, if there are no objections." I carefully glanced at Erza, but she only shook her head, smiling.

"Very well then. Mirajane, I will trust you to handle the rest." Makarov stood up and left the table, the crowd gathered before us stepping out of his way in respect. Before moving out of sight, he turned around for a moment, giving me a thumbs-up. That actually gave me a bit more confidence.

"Alright, let's do this!" Mirajane chuckled enthusiastically, eagerly clapping her hands. "If you just sit still now, then I'll..."

And then, a giant stamp was planted on my left shoulder, leaving behind a neat scarlet Fairy Tail tattoo behind. Blinking a few times if that had been all it took to join the guild. It seemed a little... anticlimatic. Still, the following reaction confirmed that the process of joining was through.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail!"

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><p><em><strong>AN: **Just had to add: I bet you all saw that coming. But having Jellal join Fairy Tail is a large part of the plot so it was necessary to do it already. Besides, he is so adorable, Fairy Tail just had to love him xD  
>And yes, Laxus is no longer an asshat. He joins Fairy Tail again soon after the ones at Tenrou Island awakens 7 years late, just as in the manga. And Makarov has been reinstated as the Guild Master after Macao and Gildarts *coughspoilercouch*<br>Jellal turning up in the future unchanged without having been on Tenrou Island will also be clarified in future chapters, just in case you're curious.  
>Anyway, please write a review if you have the time. It really makes me really happeh (though just knowing someone reads it does as well)~<br>_


	5. 4: The First Quest

**_A/N:_**_ Whew, another chapter written. I am going to get started on chapter 8 next, so am still ahead with 7 chapters written. The 7th written, however, is an interlude that is not written from Jellal's point of view... but the council is getting involved!  
>Than<em>_ks to **Serpent Tailed Angel** for reviewing again. If you have read this A/N, you'll know that the council will be involved ;3 Thanks to **Sprinkle Night **as well. Here are not one, but TWO updates for you~ ^^ Thank you both for the reviews. You make me so happeh~_

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><p>Mirajane was right about the Fairy Tail wizards regarding me as a member of their enormous family already. I was congratulated by every single member of the guild immediately after receiving the tattoo. I was now officially a member of the Fairy Tail guild.<p>

And with being a member came responsibilities. No more than a few days passed before I was approached by Gray about one of these responsibilities. It was about time that I undertook my first quest.

"Say... are you up for joining me on a quest?" The half-naked ice wizard had spoken to me as I stood and looked at the request board, unsure what to do. He seemed to feel awkward and out-of-place, but nevertheless, he had spoken up.

I was not too sure at first, since I had never done anything like it before, but in the end, I found myself meeting up with Gray at Magnolia Station, not sure whether I was fully equipped or not.

My luggage simply consisted of the necessary food for a few days packed in a backpack and the amazing white, silver rimmed coat with the Fairy Tail crest in silver on the chest. It had been a gift from Lucy and her spirits and had been specially crafted in the Spirit World. It felt magical and I was proud to wear it.

I eyed Gray standing at the platform, waving me over. Approaching him, I saw that he had brought nothing with him and I could not help but to wonder if I had been wrong in bringing provisions. Also, he was standing all by himself. He had not given me any information on the mission, but I had figured that we would have been a team of at least 3, but apparently this was not the case.

"Is no one else coming along?" I asked him, curious as to why we were going alone. The ice wizard simply shrugged.

"Well, the thing is that Erza wanted me and Natsu to bring you on a mission, to show you the ropes, you know. But she couldn't go herself, being to busy with S-class stuff or something." He sighed. "And she obviously has no faith in my mentoring skills when she wants Natsu of all people to come along."

"Wasn't there anyone else that could have come along?" I didn't quite accept his explanation. "Lucy and Wendy appeared to be free this morning. I believe Cana was free as well and..."

"Yeah, yeah. I get it," Gray cut me off, embarrassed at his own lack of thought. "It doesn't really matter, does it? Have some faith in me?"

I am not sure why I laughed at his thoughtlessness, but I did. Gray was confused at first, but then he laughed along with me. And so I began my first quest on the behalf of the Fairy Tail guild.

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><p>At the end of the day, the train Gray and I had taken had reached its destination. The station was located at the foot of a large mountain range and snow had blanketed the entire area and was still gently falling from the sky. This was one of the territories furthest up north in Fiore.<p>

"Our client lives in a small village on the other side of the mountain range. It's only a C-rank mission we're on, but the road there is going to be tedious. As you can see," Gray explained and pointed to an enormous heap of snow between two of the mountains, "the usual passage have been blocked.

"I suppose that means we have to take the long way around then." I looked up at the mountain right in front of us. "Going all the way up there."

"Exactly," Gray concluded as he took off his jacket, just as he always did before moving around. "And we'd better get going soon if we don't want to get trapped on a mountainside in the dark. It's almost dusk already."

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><p>An hour was all it took before the cold mountain had drained my body of all heat. Even with Gray's jacket, the numb feeling in my fingers and feet had begun to spread.<p>

"Hey, don't go falling behind now. The cold weather up here can kill you in less than two hours if you stop moving."

Gray had come to a halt somewhere in front of me, judging by the sound of his footsteps having stopped. I could not see clearly where he was as my eyelids were growing heavy and had begun to freeze over. Every step was a struggle and it was a battle that I felt I was losing.

With my mind focused on my walking, I was unprepared for the icy gust that pushed me to the side, causing my foot to slip on the edge of the mountain trail. I tried to regain my foothold, but found nothing but air and suddenly I saw myself falling to my death in this desolate place.

But I never fell. Before I even got that far, a strong arm had taken a hold of my coat and pulled me back. Now I was lying on my back in the snow with Gray's face hovering above mine, his face showing off clear signs of the shock we had both just felt.

"I said: "Don't go falling behind"!" he almost yelled at me. "If you'd gone and gotten yourself killed, I'd be a dead man too! Erza would've had my head for that." He sighed deeply as he stood and helped me up. "Just stick to me from now on. And try not to trip over your own two legs again."

"Sorry," I muttered, disappointed by myself and my lack of strength. I had hoped that by now my body would have returned to its former healthy state. Obviously it never had. Prison had taken its toll. That much was clear and it made me feel powerless.

"Man, don't you ever get tired of apologizing?" Gray asked, irritated. I shook my head weakly. That earned me another sigh from the black-haired man. "Geez, you're quite the handful, do you know that?" Then he looked to the sky in an instant, his expression changing into one of a state of near-panic.

"Uh-oh. Guess we aren't getting to our client tonight." He frowned and bit his lip. Seeing my confusion, he explained:

"There's a huge blizzard coming this way. If we get caught in it, we aren't getting off this mountain alive."

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><p><em><strong>AN: **YES, there is a purpose as to why Jellal and Gray goes together on this mission. You'll see in the next chapter. Also, I gave Jellal some new clothes. Hopefully no one will mind, but I just figured that a white coat would symbolize him going to the good side x3_ _And no worries, Jellal isn't going to be a weakling past this mission._ _I didn't want him to be a powerhouse already either though ;3_


	6. 5: Root of Evil

_**A/N:** Second update today, yay. I feel so productive. At least I spend my christmas on something better than last year where I was just sick . And here I am writing fanfiction instead of studying for my upcoming exam. How typical xD I kind of hope having another update ready tomorrow already. I love writing this story~_

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><p>Gray had managed to almost carry me for quite a while until we found a cave on our way which was large enough for the both of us to cram together in. The blizzard had already reached us by the time we found the cave, aiding in cooling down my body further. I was amazed that Gray was still able to go on.<p>

The cave had just the size for the both of us being able to sit up against the wall without feeling crammed together. Now I would not have found the cave uncomfortable after my stay in prison, but Gray too seemed relieved that we had escaped the storm.

Shoving me inside the narrow opening, he squirmed inside right behind me before turning around and sealing the entrance with a thick layer of ice, except for a small hole at the top. It would not look good if we died of a lack of oxygen here.

Turning back towards me again with white patches of snow in his black hair, he began looking through the backpack I had brought along. He grit his teeth as he was unable to find was he was looking for.

"Shit!" he groaned. "Don't we have anything here to light a fire with? At this rate, neither of us is going to last through the night." He brushed the snow out of his hair and continued by brushing me free of snow as well. I was too drained to resist or do it myself.

"I can try to keep us warm," I then said, realizing that I might be able to use a spell of my own to warm us. "But you'll have to stay close. I don't know how long I can maintain the flame." Lighting a small flame in the palm of my hand, I felt the heat spreading through my frozen body.

Moving his cold hands onto mine, Gray let out a relieved sigh, pleased with the warmth coming from the tiny fire. I was surprised at him. He had held out on the mountain, shirtless in the cold with no complaints even when I borrowed his jacket.

"How are you able to withstand the cold the way you do?" I asked him once the both of us had regained our warmth. I continued to let the flame burn, but Gray let go of my hands and sat beside me against the rocky wall instead.

"I grew up in a place like this, cold and unwelcome. I lost my parents to one of Zeref's demons." His face darkened as he spoke of his past. "Its name was Deliora. It destroyed the entire village where I lived."

I had to look down. I did recall hearing the name some time ago, most likely during the time I sat in the council. I was not alone in having been tormented by the Black Wizard, even after his death.

"That was when Ur found me. She took me in as her second student and trained me in the art of Ice Make. It is thanks to her that I can withstand cold weather. She was excellent teacher." He grew silent again.

"Until she sacrificed herself to rid the world of Deliora. Turning body into ice, she trapped the demon in an icy prison," I continued, knowing full well how the story ended. I had heard it all from a rather different perspective. "Ultear, my old partner, told me what happened to Ur. She was... her daughter."

"Yeah, I know who Ultear is," Gray cut me off, his eyes wide in surprise. "I just... didn't expect you to know the story."

"So, you know Ultear?"

"Know and know. I fought her on Tenrou Island. Turns out she was a member of Grimoire Heart, trying to recover Zeref from there." A light frown came upon him. "I wonder what happened to her afterwards. I think she finally managed to forgive her mother."

"Recover... Zeref?" I asked, unsure what to make at Gray's words of choice. "You mean he wasn't dead?" Gray looked down, realizing that I had not known about this. "Did... the plan with the R-System actually succeed?"

"It's a long story," Gray began, deciding to enlighten me in the events of the past. "Zeref had been asleep on Tenrou Island for hundreds of years. The Tower of Heaven was apparently part of the plan to awaken him from his slumber." He looked at me sternly. "Zeref never possessed you. His powers were dormant at the time. Ultear and the rest of Grimoire Heart was behind that."

The truth hit me like a hard punch to the guts. I had been used by Grimoire Heart in order to bring Zeref into the world again. I had never been possessed by the Black Wizard himself. I had been manipulated into hurting myself, hurting Erza. Somewhere inside, I had still been _me_. How could I have let it happen to them?

"I'm sorry. I should've figured you didn't know about all of this," Gray tried to comfort me in his own awkward way. "I suppose you would've learned the truth sooner or later, but... sorry." I could feel the tears burn in my eyes. What else did I not know? What else was being kept from me?

"Zeref is still alive, isn't he?" I asked, desperate to find a reason to continue living. "And the Black Dragon... the two have something to do with one another, don't they?"

"That's what we think," Gray admitted, looking as if he felt slightly misplaced. I could understand why, but he was not at fault. Grimoire Heart might have been the one to bring problems into the world again, but it still all came down to one thing. One person, who had brought the darkness upon the world in the first place:

Zeref. The root of all evil.

"Then that is what we have to keep in mind," I stated, taking a hold of what I had left of my faltering determination. "We will find Zeref and bring him to justice. Only then can the world truly be free from the darkness."

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><p><em><strong>AN: **And this, my friends, is the reason for this pair: Both Gray and Jellal knows Ultear and she is a very important part of this story in later chapters. And so the wild hunt for Zeref begins. Dun dun dun DUUUUUUN~_


	7. 6: A Place to Call Home

**_A/N: _**_I feel so extremely fail right now. I truly apologize for not uploading anything for ages. I have been busy with exams and at the moment, I am working on a very important assignment. Fortunately I can allow myself to take some breaks now and then. That is when I write this. Please bear with me until next Monday. Hopefully I will have more time then OTL  
>Thanks to <strong>Sprinkle Night<strong> and **AkaiChouNoKoe** for reviewing~ I feel really bad for not uploading a new chapter until now. Please forgive me~  
>In this chapter, we are finally going further into the main plot at the end. From now on things should get going a bit faster.<em>

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><p>Returning to Fairy Tail was a real relief. The mission itself had been easy enough. See, helping a village clean up after a storm was not exactly standard wizard work, but a paid job was a paid job. The journey towards our client, on the other hand, had been rough. Now we were back to receive a wonderful welcome. Or rather, I was. Gray was met by a punch to his stomach instead.<p>

"You just left without telling me!" the pink-haired Dragon Slayer snorted, flames coming out of his mouth. "I was supposed to go on that mission too!"

It was obvious that one of Natsu and Gray's usual fights were coming up. I decided that it would be wisest to simply keep my distance. Once I had gotten into one of these "usual fights" and while it was fun as long as it lasted, Erza's mood afterwards was not. This time around, it was the same.

"Would you two just knock it off?" The beautiful red-haired wizard had waltzed straight up to the two younger boys and punched a fist down on each of their heads, immediately sending them to sleep. Erza's strength was indeed fearsome.

"Maybe you shouldn't have hit them that hard," I told her as she came over. I could not help but to smile at her frustration with Natsu and Gray. "I figure they will be out cold for quite a while."

"Probably. Those two never learn. They are like a couple of bad-tempered children." Erza glared at the two unconscious boys passed out on the floor and I tried hard to resist the temptation of telling her who else was a hothead. "But enough about that. I would like to know how your first quest went."

Of course she did. That quest had been her idea after all and while she had not went along, it was thanks to her that I had dared to go. Her and Gray. Which reminded me, I had to be careful with what I told Erza. Mentioning my double near-death experience on the way would surely result in Gray getting a few more bumps on his head.

"It was... interesting," I said, trying to avoid the question at hand. Seeing as Erza lifted her brow, I guessed that she was not my explanation. And since I would hate lying to her, I might as well try a different approach.

"Really, it was interesting," I repeated, this time meaning it genuinely. "I never thought that going on quests could be that fun." _And dangerous_, I added silently in my head. "And the people in the village were grateful to us for helping out. I didn't expect that completing a quest of a low rank could make others so happy. I can't wait to leave on another already."

My answer and enthusiasm seemed to please Erza. The more I told her, the more she smiled. It appeared that she had found her plan to be successful. I was also glad that she had asked Gray to team up with me. Apart from his occasional stripping and slight anger management issues around Natsu in particular, he was a great guy and a skilled wizard.

"So being in a guild is fun after all, huh?"

I was surprised to find Makarov sitting beside me, grinning widely. But what he said was true. It was fun. Being surrounded by friends, doing exciting tasks, helping strangers... all situations I had never in myself though to see myself in.

"Yeah," was all I could say as I returned his smile. It was all I needed to say. Fairy Tail had already become my home and the members, my family. I belonged here. Maybe I always had and what had kept me from this place were sad twists of fate. At least that was what my intuition told me.

"What will you be doing next then? There is only a month until the Grand Magic Games begin," Erza stated. "I believe we should start preparing ourselves for it. We all need training."

"Actually, there is something else I think I have to do first," I admitted, a frown coming upon my face as I remembered. "And it has to do with Zeref." Silence fell over both Erza and Makarov, which alarmed me slightly. I still continued. "With your permission, I want to go to Tenrou Island to look for anything that might be connected to him."

"That would be impossible," Makarov interrupted, his voice hard and steadfast. "Tenrou Island was destroyed by the Black Dragon. There is nothing left on it." He breathed out heavily. "Besides, it is far too dangerous to pursue Zeref." He then raised his voice for the last sentence, noticing that Gray and Natsu were waking up.

"And that goes for everyone: Pursuing anything related to Zeref, or the Black Dragon for that matter, is strictly forbidden."

We all stayed quiet without protesting, knowing exactly why Makarov had disallowed it. It was a dangerous thing to do. I knew that, but it was not going to stop me. I looked over at Erza. Judging by the pleading look in her eyes, she knew that I was not going to just let it pass.

Later that evening, I returned to my room. It was placed on the third floor of the building with a wonderful view of Magnolia Town. Living in alone in an apartment was too risky, in the case that the Magic Council decided that I should be apprehended. Of course that would require that they learnt of my existence first.

Lying down on my bed, I could feel the built-up fatigue in my body. I was dead tired after the quest I had been on, with good reason. And though I began drifting off, thoughts of the Black Wizard still occupied my mind. I was sure that he was out there, planning his next move. He had to be stopped.

It was not long before I fell into a deep slumber. At first, the dream I had was one of the rarer empty kind, deprived of all events from the past. For once it was not a nightmare. That was when I heard it again: The mysterious voice that had spoken to me back when I was imprisoned.

"It's time. Come to me. I will be waiting at the sacred resting place on the heavenly island."

The voice had changed from the last time I heard it. Back then it had been sad, yet with a hint of hopefulness. This voice was not sad. It was desperate. It urged me to come. I was confused. What was that voice? Who was behind it?

I was woken up by the sound of a knocking on my window. Still disoriented from hearing the voice in my dreams again, I went over to look out, wondering who would be up here. As I opened the window, Natsu of all people swung inside with a certain winged cat on his back. I figured that was how he had gotten up here and I was just about to raise a complaint about having my sleep interrupted. Natsu was faster.

"This is it," he grinned deviously. "This is what we have waiting for." He waved a piece of paper in front of my face. A request. "We're heading out tonight. We're going to hunt down Zeref and kick his evil wizard butt!"

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><p><em>Dun dun duuuun~ It's the mysterious voice again!<br>Small, but very important note: In this story, Fairy Tail has NOT left their old headquarters. Their building is a bit run down, but they still own it. I had this planned before we learnt in the manga that Fairy Tail could not afford their old building. And therefore the Fairy Tail guild still lies in the center of Magnolia and Jellal can have his own room xD  
>And about the Grand Magic Games... I haven't planned on having the story go to a point where they will actually participate in it. There will be another twist instead~<br>Last note. I don't know if any of you agree, but personally I think that Jellal and Gray could be best buddies xD They just seem like they could get along really well. Besides, Jellal needs a guy friend to talk to, yes? xP  
><em>


	8. 7: Secret Message

_**A/N: **I certainly hope no one mind me putting up a new chapter up already. I've been having ideas for continuing this story all day. Currently I have planned chapter 11 and 12 out in my head. I still have to put it down on paper though, but that will happen soon enough.  
><strong>AkaiChouNoKoe:<strong> Thanks for reviewing so quickly after I had put up this chapter~ I'm glad that you agree with me on Jellal needing guy friends. He will have more interaction with Gray in the future chapters and I plan on giving Natsu some more time in the story as well xD The three of them could easily become Fairy Tail's "troublesome trio".  
>Also, I can't believe that I just wrote the draft for chapter 10. I have already filled two notebooks (albeit thin ones) with my drafts. I am on my third now. I will just take a moment to feel proud of myself... yeah... like that. Now onto the story xD<em>

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><p>Gray and Lucy were waiting for us a couple of streets away. It had already gotten dark and there were hardly any people outside at this time, fortunately for me. As Natsu and I approached, the two of them greeted us, Lucy by waving her arm and Gray with a short "yo". Once gathered, the four of us went into a neat apartment, which turned out to belong to Lucy. Like me, she had also been woken in the middle of the night.<p>

"Would one of you mind telling me what this is about?" I asked once we had all taken a seat around the small table in Lucy's bedroom. The voice that had called out to me again was still clear in my mind and I felt rather irritated for having my sleep disturbed. On top of that, I did not want to waste my time by going on a wild goose chase.

"Well, we got out hands on this request," Natsu said and put the paper down before me on the table. I had had no opportunity to read when he showed it earlier, but now I could see what it was about. A request to remove a curse put on a doll. A simple B-rank mission with poor payment. I failed to see how it was related to Zeref in any way.

"It's not the mission itself." Gray put his finger on the paper, just by a small and seemingly useless symbol in the corner. "Lucy noticed it first and though it does not look like much, it has a special meaning." He paused dramatically. "It's a message for us."

"Okay?" I had yet to be convinced. A small, curly symbol on a piece of paper could be interpreted as several things, but as a message meant for us? The suggestion in itself was ridiculous.

"It's a letter from an ancient language used up north a long time ago. It is almost extinct today and only a few people can speak it, let alone read it." Gray looked me straight into the eyes. "I can read this because my teacher taught me and this is where it gets interesting. This letter reads "ur". And who other than me would have a connection to this name?"

"But how can we be sure it isn't Lyon? He was Ur's apprentice as well, right?" Lucy did not seem too comfortable with the direction this talk was going. That went for me as well.

"Lyon is a member of Lamia Scale, an official guild. If he wanted to contact me, he would approach me in person and not through secret messages. Besides, I doubt that neither of us would ever have thought of using this language as a means of communication." Gray easily brushed off Lucy's suggestion. "And that pretty much leaves us with one final possibility since Ur herself isn't alive."

"Her daughter," I whispered, feeling a lump in my throat. "Ultear." Of all the things we could look into, we had ended up with a message from Ultear. I had only just learned of her true nature and the whole story of how she had used me to get her hands on Zeref. How was I supposed to react to that?

Zeref! That was where the connection was. Gray had mentioned the possibility of Ultear turning her back on the dark guild, Grimoire Heart and the darkness of her past. If she had any clues about Zeref's whereabouts, it was definitely a path worth pursuing despite my reluctance to face her again.

"Alright," I gave in, shooting Gray a solid look. "I'm all in on this. Whenever you're ready to leave, I'll join you."

"Well, that's the thing," Gray mumbled before he was cut off by Natsu.

"We're leaving tonight. You heard the old man. He ain't gonna let us go after Zeref and I bet he'll ask a bunch of questions if we leave on a quest this badly paid with this many people. So that's why we'll just have to leave before he learns the reason behind why we're gone."

"Tonight?" Lucy hissed at him. "And without telling him? You do know that it's just as bad as when you stole that S-class request from the request board, right? No wait. This time it's even worse!" The blonde girl panicked. "The Master will have our heads!"

"You haven't forgotten about Erza, have you Natsu?" Happy, Natsu's winged companion added gloomily. "She is so scary when she gets mad. Like, crushing-mountains-and-breathing-fire-mad, you know." Lucy and Gray nodded in agreement.

"As if that's going to stop me!" Natsu snorted as he stood up from the seat he had taken on the floor earlier."Erza is going to have a rage fit whether we go back now and tell her or we leave and she finds out. And the Master'll probably forgive us anyway." I noticed how he put extra pressure on the word "probably".

"No matter what you say, I'm not backing down on this chance," I said, sure of what I had to do. "This opportunity may never come up again."

"I guess I'll have to go too then," Lucy said giving in reluctantly. "Someone has to keep an eye on your boys when Erza isn't around. Especially you two." She shot a glance at Gray and Natsu.

"Aye!" exclaimed joyfully out of the blue. It seemed that everyone was more or less excited about going on this mission. I was glad that we were going to be this many.

"Alright!" Natsu grinned and put his hand forward. Gray then put his hand on top of it followed by Happy and Lucy. I followed their actions, knowing where we were going with it. At the count of three, we all threw our hands up in the air followed by Natsu's words:

"One for all and all for Fairy Tail!"

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><p><strong><em>AN: _**_Natsu's cliché phrase at the end = lack of better ideas OTL Fail Sirup is fail__  
>A note about Ultear here: She did manage to spend some time with her mother before she was taken away and therefore she learnt at least part of this "ancient language". What language you ask? I have no idea. To be honest, I only put this in to keep the plot moving and it isn't canon at all *shot* Hopefully no one will mind OTL<em>  
><em>And hooray! Lyon gained an honorable mention in this chapter! Actually, this was mere coincidence xD As Lucy said, he was also Ur's student.<br>Alright, the team that is heading out now consists of Jellal, Gray, Happy, Lucy and Natsu. That is Team Natsu - Erza + Jellal, so basically it's Team Natsu v.? (I have no idea how many variations of this time there's been so far).  
>...I really should give this team a name that isn't "Team Natsu v.?" xD<em>


	9. 8: Going Undercover

_**A/N: **Hey look, it's another update already! xD I finished drafts for two more chapters late last night, so now you get to have to updates in one day again. Yay~ I feel so productive.  
>Which reminds me. I watched episode 112 of the Fairy Tail anime today. I swear, the soundtrack is epic! That's what makes the anime awesome IMO. Apart from awesome voice acting of course. I am personally a big fan of several seiyuu in the series. Like, Yuuichi Nakamura who plays Gray and Katsuyuki Konishi who is Laxus. And then there's Jellal's seiyuu, Daisuke Namikawa. That guy is vertasile! He can go from sounding extreeeemely evil to extreeeemely cute in no time. If any of you are familiar with Bleach or Hetalia, he plays Ulquiorra and Italy in those series. Pretty awesome, right? (Also, Cana kicks butt!)<br>Okay, enough of my random ramblings before my A/N turns into a personal diary. To the story~_

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><p>I suppose I had thought that we would have gone south towards the ocean and Tenrou Island in our search for Ultear, but that was not the case. Instead we had headed northwest, the almost opposite direction, to the fragrant village of Rosemary. But before entering the village, we encountered our first obstacle. Guards.<p>

"What are we going to do about them?" Gray asked once he had returned from scouting the area. "I don't think they're with the Council, but going in like this could pose a pretty big risk."

I knew he was referring to me, or rather my looks. I was not exactly the kind of person you would forget overnight. We had to face it. There was no way that I could waltz openly around Fiore without being recognized at some point. I would have to hide my face.

"Yeah. Guess we can't go around calling you Jellal either," Natsu moped, irritated that we had reached this point.

"Can't we give him a new identity?"

We had all looked over at Lucy, who had come up with the suggestion. She stood ready with one of her Gate Keys in hand. We were rendered speechless.

"I mean, why don't we just call him "Mystogan"? I doubt the Council knows anything about what happened in Edolas and isn't it the perfect cover? They are practically the same person after all."

While I had no idea what Edolas was or how Lucy had come to the conclusion that Mystogan and I were the same, the enthusiasm that came over the group convinced me to let them deal with it. I had a vague memory of the name "Mystogan", it being among Fairy Tail's S-Class wizards when I had been in the Magic Council myself, yet I had not seen him back in Magnolia. Had he left the guild?

Moments later, my face was covered in a weird mask made from a thin and soft silvery fabric to match my coat. I was positive that I looked strange wearing it. Everything but my eyes was hidden beneath it, muffling my voice. Fortunately it worked well to hide my true identity.

While we were getting strange looks from the guards and even the villagers themselves, no one questioned our group of Fairy Tail wizards, even if one of the seemed slightly suspicious. That might all just have been in my mind. Wearing a mask actually made me feel more self-conscious than before.

In the middle of the village, we found a small, run down inn where our client, a certain Heriim Myvledock, was supposedly staying. Of course, we had already guessed that this was some kind of alias. At the front desk in the hall, we were told the number of the room where "she" was staying.

On the way up, I reflected on my memories of Ultear. She had been with me in the Council, in the Tower of Heaven, manipulating every thought in my head. Had she really changed, just like I had? I had to consider that possibility.

All those thoughts of mine turned out to have been in vain, because the person waiting for us in the room was not Ultear. It was a petite girl in a white summer dress adorned with golden wings at the sleeves. She had short, pink hair and blue eyes, but most importantly, in her arms she had a crystal ball, slightly larger than a clenched fist. To that item seemed very familiar.

"Hello there, everyone," she greeted us kindly with a big smile on her face. "I'm Meredy. My mentor, Ultear sent me to meet you here." She looked over at Gray. "She asks me to tell you that she is glad that you received her message and that you all seem well."

I was amazed to see that Ultear had taken on an apprentice. Perhaps it had been a natural choice to her as it had been to her mother. Moreover, I found it fantastic that Gray had been right about the secret message. The girl was certainly on Ultear's side. I could sense her magic from the crystal ball in the girl's hands.

"Miss Ultear tells me to bring you to her," Meredy stated as she cheerfully went towards the five of us standing in the door. We all moved out of the way so that she could get past when Natsu grabbed her shoulder.

"Wait up. If this Ultear-person isn't here, then why did we have to come in the first place?"

"To assure that the Magic Council wouldn't get involved in the matter." The girl was still smiling as she turned to Natsu. "She said that she would trust Gray Fullbuster's choice of who to bring along, but also that this is matter for only the fairies. It has to do with the events on the heavenly island."

The heavenly island. Those words sent a shiver down the spine. It was the exact words that the voice from my dream had used.

"Tenrou?" Lucy bursted out. "But I thought that there was nothing left on that island after the Black Dragon attacked. When we left it, it was completely abandoned. Wasn't it?"

"Miss Ultear will explain everything further once we've reached the southern harbor," Meredy replied. "For now we have to leave before someone finds out that we were here."

Following the young girl, I was finally starting to make sense of the messages I had been getting from that voice. Now these messages had led me to Tenrou Island, the place where Zeref had last been seen. No matter how I looked at it, it all came down to one simple conclusion.

The Black Wizard Zeref and I seemed to be connected by fate.

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><p><em><strong>AN:** We're introducing a "new" character here. Meredy is back~ I thought that if Ultear was in the story, she had to be to. So those two are living together now. So sweet~  
>And Jellal gets a new "identity" in this chapter xD I figured we might as well bring Mystogan up sooner or later. Poor Jellal be confused about it. I'm thinking that I might use it to make it easier for him to get around in Fiore later on in the story. Like a secret agent or sumthin'! *shot*<br>Also, the plot thickens. The next chapter is going to be a bit different, so I hope you will like the way I did it. Moreover, I will probably begin to update these bottom A/Ns in the earlier chapters with songs from the Fairy Tail soundtrack that I find to be fitting for certain scenes. Maybe you can enjoy the story even more that way :3~  
><em>


	10. Interlude: By Order of the Council

_**A/N:** Here is the second chapter for today. It is very different from the past chapters in terms of POV since this has been written in third person. There will be more interludes later, though these will have the focus of one character in particular. I can reveal as much as this: The next interludes will be written from Lucy and Makarov's POV, though still third person.  
>I really hope you won't mind me doing this every now and then. I just thought it would get kind of monotonous if we never got hear what was going on with the other characters.<br>Alright, onto the chapter. It's time for the Council to get involved._

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><p>It was just another afternoon in the Fairy Tail guild hall. Cana was sitting at a table near the bar, gulping down ridiculous amounts of alchohol. Levy was reading her books in the corner, accompanied by Jet and Droy, who seemed to be enjoying themselves as well. The Thunder God Tribe was at the request board, looking through the countless requests to find one befitting of their level.<p>

Only one thing seemed off that day. A few members had gone and left without a word, causing the guild hall to be much quieter than usual. Most had simply brushed it off as Team Natsu having left to cause a bit of trouble again, but some had already realized the significance of their disappearance.

On the second floor of the building, the Guild Master, Makarov, had gathered the three S-Class wizards present at the time: Erza Scarlet, Mirajane Strauss and Laxus Dreyar. With the entire hall visible from their position, their meeting began.

"I can't believe this," Erza stated, gritting her teeth. "I would expect Natsu to do something this reckless. I could have guessed that Gray and Lucy would have gone along with it, but... I had thought Jellal to be wiser."

"I should have seen it coming," Makarov admitted regretfully. "Maybe I did. The subject should never have been brought up before Natsu. We all knew he felt that he had a score to settle with Zeref. It appears that he was not alone in feeling this way."

"Do we have any leads on their location?" Laxus added in, looking over at Makarov. "If they are headed towards Tenrou Island, we might be able to catch up to them if we leave now."

"But the Council has the island under constant surveillance. They have guards stationed in every single town close to the shores near it." Mirajane shifted her gaze downwards. "Those five wouldn't be reckless enough to challenge the Council. Who knows what would happen if they realized..."

"All I want to know is what source they got their information from and how that person managed to tip them off." Erza frowned. "Jellal would never waste his time following a bad lead. He must believe fully in this source. Of that much I am certain."

Before any of the others could add in a word, the doors to the guild was slammed open and storming in came a dozen or so soldiers, all with the symbol of the Magic Council on their clothes. While the guild wizards were still confused, the soldiers swiftly prevented any means of escaping.

"What is the meaning of this?" Makarov shouted angrily at the soldiers as he jumped off the ledge on the second floor. "What business does the Council have with Fairy Tail this time for them to bring soldiers into our guild hall?"

"We have received word that your guild is housing a criminal, who has long ago been found guilty of committing several crimes against the magic world and the Magic Council itself."

The soldiers in front of the main entrance stepped aside, letting a young man with long black hair and glasses pass through. His shirt had the same symbol as the soldiers wore, but he seemed to be a much more important individual. Erza narrowed her eyes at the newcomer.

"Lahar..."

"I have been dispatched by the Council to retrieve the traitor Jellal Fernandes and bring him to justice." Lahar stepped towards the Guild Master under the eyes of many angry Fairy Tail members. "As you know, this man is a dangerous criminal on the run. I am sure you understand the gravity of the situation and the position you will be in if it became known that your guild had been hiding him."

"Of course we understand," Makarov said calmly, though his eyes were still showing how angry he felt. "But let us be honest with each other. You and I both know that this man you seek have been dead for years. Why would the Council want to look for him now and here of all places?"

"And as I said before, we have been told where to find him." Lahar's voice turned sinister at the mockery Makarov were trying to put him through. "We have our information from a source inside your guild. Do not pretend to be ignorant."

"Oh?" Makarov asked, unaffected by the attempt to put him off. "And who is this source that you speak of?" Lahar's accusations had started loud whispers inside the hall. No one knew for sure who the snitch was.

"I told them."

Suddenly a young girl with long, wavy purple hair and big eyes stepped forward. She appeared to be very nervous, her voice shaking, and yet determined to speak up.

"Laki?" Mirajane exclaimed in disbelief, most of the other guild members having the same reaction.

"I'm sorry, but it had to be done," Laki said with teary eyes. "You all heard him! He was going to look for Zeref and now he's missing! He is dangerous! Please don't kick me out of the guild, Master."

"I see," Makarov murmured and turned to the heartbroken girl. "Don't worry; I won't kick you out of the guild. I'm not angry with you. You did this with the best intentions and fact is..." Makarov came to face Lahar again. "We have no idea of Jellal Fernandes' current whereabouts. But know this: Criminal or not in your eyes, Jellal is a member of this guild and should you in any way treat him unjustly, Fairy Tail will raise their voice against the Magic Council."

The guild shouted out to show their support for their Master and this somehow managed to intimidate Lahar and his soldiers. Slowly, they began to appear weak before the united guild.

"Very well," Lahar gave in. "I will see to that Jellal Fernandes receives a fair trial once he is in our custody. If that is all..." He turned and ordered his soldiers to leave. "We shall begin the search immediately!"

Once the soldiers had all left, Erza came down the stairs and went to Makarov's side, clearly troubled by the situation the guild had been put in for the sake of one man. However, she did not utter one word.

"You needn't worry," Makarov assured her. "We are Fairy Tail and Fairy Tail protects its family, no matter the cost. We can only pray that the Council too can come to terms with this."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:** So what do you think? Was it alright? It felt strange to not write from Jellal's POV for once, but it got easier with the next interludes.  
>Now we got to see what has been going on in Fairy Tail since Jellal and the others left. The Council is after him now, which will certainly mean that there's going to be trouble in the future. This chapter takes place at the same time the group leaves Rosemary village, just so you know~<em>

_For this chapter, I found the music piece **Bonds **from the second OST fitting for pretty much the entire chapter. It's a slow, beautiful peace that fits perfectly to describe how the members of Fairy Tail stand together through all hardships._


	11. 9: Old Acquaintance

_**A/N: **Here you go, another chapter for you xD And we are going to snap right back to Jellal and the crew. I seriously thought I had uploaded more chapters. Well, no worries, I've got chapters to spare.  
>I also did a small doodle of Jellal on my DeviantArt. Do take a look here: .comart/Wounded-Jellal-281591574  
>Thanks to <strong>Fooster26<strong> for the review :D I'm happy to see that others share my love for the character xD_

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><p>As soon as we had left Rosemary village with Meredy, our group headed south. The young girl led us down hidden forest paths and through deep mountain caves. I was beginning to find it a bit tedious, sneaking around the way we were. I knew we should not be taking any risks, especially since we deliberately had broken the rules of Fairy Tail.<p>

But even though the entire premise of our journey was rather glum, no one seemed to mind. Lucy and Meredy were happily chatting away up front. Happy and Natsu were behind them, the latter proudly stating how he was going to "kick Zeref's butt" once we found him. It seemed that I was alone in being in a dark mood.

"Cheer up, man! You haven't said a word since we left the village." With a hard pat to my back, Gray had caught my attention. Judging by his grinning face, he was not feeling the mood.

"Well, for one it's hard to talk while wearing this mask," I grumbled and shot him an irritated look. He did not catch on to that either.

"Sorry, what did you say again? It's kind of hard to hear what you're saying when you've got that thing covering your face," he laughed awkwardly while rubbing the back of his head. I had had about enough. With one move, I ripped the mask off my face.

"See, that's _exactly _what I mean. I can't have a normal conversation when you can't even hear what I'm saying!" I almost spat out the words. "And what's up with this cheerful atmosphere? This isn't some family trip. We're going into a battle we might actually lose our lives in."

"Calm down," Gray sneered, making sure the ones up front had not heard my complaint before continuing. "You've been having some crazy mood swings ever since you showed up. Believe me, we all know what's at stake here, but if we let our worries get the best of us, we'd lose for sure." Easening up a little, he elbowed my ribs. "You're just nervous since you'll see Ultear again."

So he had noticed something after all. I shrugged slightly, which only made him laugh again. Sure I was nervous. To be honest, I was afraid. The woman in question had been manipulating me for years. To top it off, she probably would not even know that I had tagged along with this group.

"Okay, this is it." At the sound of Meredy's voice we all turned towards her. She was pointing at the exit of the thick forest further ahead. "Miss Ultear should have a boat prepared for us down at the shore. We can go to Tenrou Island from there."

Relieved that we had finally made it this far, we all went to the exit. Our relief was then immediately replaced by panic. For some reason, the peaceful harbor town nearby was heavily guarded: Guarded by soldiers from one of the Magic Council's elite squads.

"What is the Council doing here?" Lucy asked, shocked. "Did the Master turn us in? There is no way we're going to get past those guys! We're all doomed!"

"Something's definitely off," Gray mumbled, narrowing his eyes. "Those are elite soldiers, not average guards. If they're here, there has got to be a better reason behind it than a couple of Fairy Tail wizards running off again."

"You are absolutely right. They have very specific orders from the Council." Turning towards the voice coming from behind us, we saw a cloaked woman coming out from a pair of bushes. I instantly knew that it was Ultear. Lifting the hood from her head, she revealed herself to us and Meredy flung herself at her mentor. She was in return given a very loving hug before Ultear once again looked at us.

"What orders?" Natsu asked, his face showing the fury he was fighting to hold back. I felt my blood freeze over. I had a very bad feeling about this whole setup. It was no coincidence that the Council had stationed their soldiers here.

"The orders were simple: Capture Jellal Fernandes at all costs." My heart skipped a beat when Ultear looked directly at me. "They are intent on keeping you from going to Tenrou Island." She smiled wholeheartedly. "If you were to join forces with Zeref, it would certainly put the Council in a terrible position."

"I have no intention of doing so," I stated bitterly, staring straight into Ultear's eyes. She was upsetting me just by being here and yet I felt relieved to see that she was fine. That did not mean that I was completely comfortable. She was showing no surprise at all to see me alive and well.

"There is no reason to get upset now. I realize that your intentions are much different," she insisted. "I always knew that you survived back then. Or perhaps I should say I always believed it. There was always something unusual about you." Sensing my discomfort, she added: "I have a feeling that you and I are going to have a long conversation sometime soon."

""Soon" sounds better than now," Gray cut in. "Would you mind telling us why we're here?" The heavy atmosphere was lifted slightly as our thoughts were brought back to the matter at hand.

"Very well. I will keep this short. It's only a matter of time before we are found out. There are Council soldiers everywhere." Ultear let go of Meredy and looked back at the rest of us. "Tenrou is not completely abandoned. There is life out there. Magic as well. I cannot tell whether it is Zeref or not, but there is someone."

While everyone else was shocked at Ultear's revelation, it did not come as a surprise to me. Someone had called me to the island and it was most likely that "someone" who was out there. Whoever it was, I was determined to find out.

"Alright!" Natsu exclaimed. "Maybe it's Zeref out there! That means we get to fight that guy again!"

"Or maybe it's a gigantic fish! Yummy!" Happy joined in, causing Lucy to shake her head at the both of them. Those three certainly knew how to lighten the mood.

"That's all well and good, I get that," Gray said, scratching his cheek. "Problem is we can't get out there because of those Council bastards swarming the entire town. They'll notice us if we even try to go near the island."

That remark quickly killed the mood. It was true. Without a boat, we could not get to the island. Glancing over at Ultear, I hoped deep down that she had taken that into consideration already and no sooner had I thought it before she spoke again.

"You needn't worry about that. I have moved the boat a fair way from the town." She smirked at me. "And about the guards... you can leave them to me. You are not alone on the Council's list of wanted people."

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><p><em><strong>AN: **Aaaaand... Ultear is back xD Still don't really like her, but at least she got better, partially thanks to Gray. He's almost at Natsu-level when it comes to saving people now. Okay, maybe not xD  
>Moody Jellal is moody x3 Good thing there are people there to cheer him up 8D<br>_


	12. 10: Towards Tenrou

_**A/N: **A new chapter? Yeah, I had two lying around that I totally forgot about. I haven't had the inspiration for this fanfic lately, so updates are probably going to take more time from now on.  
>Thanks to everyone who decided to follow this story. Everytime I receive a message about a new subscribtion or comment, my day brightens. Thank you so much~<em>

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><p>Once she had guided us to the location of the boat, Ultear told us to lay low until the guards would no longer be in sight. Her plan was to hold them up until the rest of us were able to get to the island. I should have guessed that she too would be seen as a criminal and I admit that I admired her courage of taking on an army of Council soldiers with only Meredy to back her up.<p>

"The island is surrounded by a barrier that even the Council has not been able to penetrate," Ultear had explained. "But it seems that certain people can pass through it, such as the members of Fairy Tail and those allied with them. Reach the island and the Council should not be able to do a thing."

None of us questioned how she could know for sure whether we could pass through the barrier or not. We did not ask how she planned to keep the guards away long enough for us to reach the island in a rowboat either.

No, we all waited quietly for the perfect I took Gray's advice to not let all my uncertainties get to me. Instead I believed in Ultear's plan. I believed. I believed in the strength of our group combined. We could make it. We had to.

And then our chance came. The few soldiers we could actually see suddenly ran in the opposite direction, away from us. Ultear had most likely succeeded in getting their attention. The rest was up to us. All together, we ran towards the boat and literally jumped into it. Gray immediately took the oars.

"I've got this," he said, turning towards me. "Natsu, Jellal. You two push the boat off shore. Let's get going." He then noticed that someone was missing and so did Lucy and I. We all turned our heads to the shore where Natsu stood a fair distance from the boat, Happy on his back with wings spread out wide.

"Umm, Natsu? What are you doing?" Lucy asked, but she was only given a wide grin in return as Natsu took a few more steps back.

"Alright Happy! Let's go! Max Speed!"

Natsu launched himself towards the boat at insanely high speed, his feet engulfed in flames and kicking up the sand as he flew forward. As he grabbed onto the boat, the creaking sounds that came from it made me sure that it would break apart. It held up and suddenly we were rushing across the ocean.

"Natsu, you're a genius!" I called out to him, impressed with his quick way of thinking. This way we could get to Tenrou before the Magic Council even realized we were gone. Or so I thought. We all soon discovered that we had company.

"Stop at once! We are putting Jellal Fernandes under arrest at this moment!" The voice came from a ship, still a fair distance away. I knew that voice. It belonged to Lahar, the man, who had captured me and put me away all those years ago.

"As if we're going to stop now!" Natsu yelled, still facing us and focused on getting us to the island. I could see drops sweat running down his face. He was doing his best to move the boat forward. "I'd like to see you try and catch us!"

"Aye sir!" Happy agreed, the poor cat's face looking strained. He was using up a large amount of magic in order to move the boat while at the same time holding on to Natsu. His stamina was clearly not as high as his partner's.

I gritted my teeth as I saw the Council ship come closer. It was not that it was going faster. Our speed had simply been reduced. Happy was getting worn out and what kept him going was sheer power of will. That was when I noticed a strange distortion in the air ahead of us.¨

"The barrier!" I exclaimed, pointing at the distortion. "I see it. It's not much further." I turned to Happy and Natsu. "Just a little longer and we'll be there. The island is right ahead of us."

"Then let me handle the rest," Lucy said steadfast, taking out her ring of gate keys. "Get in the boat. Aquarius will take us the last stretch."

Catching on to Lucy's plan, Natsu slowed down the boat and landed in it with Happy once it was still. The Council ship was rapidly approaching now that we were not moving as fast as before. Soon I could even see the people aboard the ship and my unease grew.

"Gate of the Water Bearer, open!" A bright flash came from the key in Lucy's hand as she summoned one of her famed spirits. "Aquarius!"

A beautiful woman with long blue hair and the tail of a fish appeared before us. I stared in awe. This was a Celestial Spirit, a being from the Spirit World. She was indeed otherworldly. However her personality did not match her beauty.

"How dare you summon me at a time like this? You are so annoying," she growled at Lucy and I could not help but to wonder how a Spirit dared to speak like that to its master. Lucy was an unusual girl.

"We need your help Aquarius," Lucy pleaded and gestured towards the island. "I want you to attack this boat and send us flying over there. That would not be a problem, would it?"

I nearly dropped my jaw at Lucy's suggestion. The Spirit was going to attack us? I looked over at Gray, who did not seem too fond of the idea either. Natsu was just hanging at the edge of the boat, his face almost green. Motion sickness.

"Tch. That would be no problem at all," Aquarius replied in the same irritated tone as before. "But I still don't like to follow orders!"

With those words, Aquarius used her magic to create two giant tidal waves. One sent our small boat flying into the air straight towards the barrier. The other crashed down upon the Council ship, certainly causing them some trouble as well.

I did not get around to laugh at them, because our boat began to descend, still quite away from the island. Then it tilted and all of us fell into the ocean.

Now, this would not have been a problem if there had not been a strange understream, pulling me around and preventing me from getting to the surface. I figured that it had been caused by Aquarius' assault.

I found it near impossible to fight the currents and I only grew tired from trying to keep swimming. I could not see the others in the dark water and I was starting to crave fresh air. I panicked. I did not know what was up or down. I could not breathe. I was going to die.

And then, everything went black.

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><p><em><strong>AN: **Hurr hurr, gotta love Aquarius and her dislike towards Lucy xD Perfect for when you have to escape the Council at sea.  
>So from here on out, Fairy Tail is going to get in more trouble... :3<br>_


	13. 11: Shipwrecked

_**A/N:** Another new chapter up~ Hope you like~  
><em>

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><p>I woke up to the sound of waves and the feeling of water brushing against my skin. Taking in a few breaths, I had confirmed that I was still alive. I was wet and cold, yes, but alive nevertheless.<p>

With a sigh of relief I took note of surroundings. I had wound up on a rocky beach surrounded by low growth. Behind me rose a great forest with a single enormous tree, reaching far into the sky above, in its middle. This was it: Tenrou Island.

As I got back on my feet, I was surprised to find myself almost completely unscathed. Perhaps I was a little short of breath and sore, but that aside, I felt fine. My biggest concern now was the whereabouts of my comrades.

"Jellal? You made it here too?"

Almost as if on cue, Lucy came out from behind a large rock on shore. She looked relieved and in just about the same condition as myself.

"Yes, somehow," I replied as I went to her. "I am glad to see that you made it as well. But... are you alone? Where are the others?"

"I have no idea." Lucy shrugged and looked down. "I lost sight of everyone when we fell off the boat. I've been looking for the rest of you since I got here, but so far you're the only one I have found."

That meant we could not know for sure whether Happy, Gray and Natsu had even made it to the island. The wisest thing to do would certainly be to look for them. Ultear had told us that someone else was on the island with us. If this person turned out to be hostile, Natsu and Gray would most likely be great assets.

"You have come at last. Go to the sacred resting place. I will be waiting for you."

I lifted my head at the sound of the voice that I had only heard in my dreams before. It sounded much louder now and far more confident than last time. Gradually I was beginning to get freaked out. Maybe it was all a trap.

"Did you... just hear someone's voice?" I asked Lucy as I glanced around nervously. There was nothing to see but rocks and plants. The blonde girl simply shook her head, looking slightly alarmed. What I had said had obviously affected her.

"I'm sorry. I did not mean to scare you. It is probably nothing." I did my best to sound reassuring. It had little effect. Lucy still seemed nervous, so I changed the subject before she decided to raise questions about this "voice" I had heard. "Say, do you know if there is some kind of "resting place" on this island?"

"Resting place?" Lucy's expression went from frightened to puzzled. "Do you mean like a grave? The founding master of Fairy Tail, Mavis, has a gravestone. It's up there, at the foot of the Tenrou Tree." She gestured towards the tall tree at the center of the island. "Why are you asking?"

"No particular reason," I said, smiling at her. For now it would be best to keep the fact that I was hearing a voice in my head to myself. She was plenty upset already. There was no reason to worsen the situation by making her think that I was a psychopath with some kind of mental disorder. I silently prayed that I would not turn out to be either.

"We should go further in," I suggested, seeing as Lucy still appeared to be uncomfortable around me. "If Natsu is here, he would certainly head for danger and I doubt there is any danger out here in the open." I decided to throw in a small joke. "And don't worry. Whatever you have been told, I do not bite. I'm practically harmless." I realized that what I was saying made me sound rather pathetic, but it did the job. The tension eased up.

"Sure," she chuckled. "But from what I've heard, you're pretty good at getting into near-death situations on mountain sides." What pride I had was taken down a notch by Lucy's remark.

"I see. Gray let that slip, did he?"

"Yeah. He wasn't too happy after bringing it up in a conversation. Erza wasn't amused either." She began laughing. The thought of Gray being punished by Erza was funny, though I did feel bad for him for invoking her terrifying wrath. It seemed that Lucy and I had reached a point where we could relax a bit more in each other's company.

We soon headed off into the woods, eagerly chatting away. I was beginning to understand why both Gray and Happy enjoyed Lucy's company. She was funny, intelligent and always getting into trouble thanks to her two good friends. Her stories of their adventures together put a smile on my lips. Their relationship was just as I had imagined; at first glance slightly dysfunctional, but clearly defined by their close bond and mutual trust in one another.

It was in the middle of one of her stories that I found myself feeling an eerie shiver down my spine. The sensation had come out of nowhere and for a second, it had felt like pure darkness overwhelming me. Then it was gone. I tried looking around, but just as with the voice before, there was nothing to see.

"Is something wrong?" I flinched and gasped as Lucy tapped me on the shoulder. My reaction left her just as startled as I was myself. T shook my head, hoping she would let it go and while she did not seem completely convinced, she still turned around and continued forward.

Just as I was about to follow her, the horrid feeling returned and this time it was far too strong to ignore. I could swear that my heart stopped beating, even if just for a second. Was Lucy really not able to feel it?

And so I ran. I simply took off, leaving Lucy behind without giving it a second thought. The only thing on my mind was to find the source of the deadly sensation I felt as well as owner of the voice in my head. Somewhere along the way I had begun linking the two things together.

I made my way through the strange island forest, up steep hills, down slippery slopes, through dense growth and past wild animals with their hungry eyes fixed on me. I paid little attention to my surroundings. I had a pretty good idea of where I had to go.

Mavis' grave.

Thus I found myself standing in front of a cave at the foot of the great Tenrou Tree. The dread I felt was much stronger now. My suspicions seemed to have been confirmed.

But as I took a step inside the cave, the dark feeling was gone again. It caught me off guard, but I forced myself to stay focused. I had to. Soon enough I reached the far end of the cave and with it, the exit. The sun was shining directly into the cave, so taking my first step outside, I could not see a thing. Instead I heard a familiar voice and this time, I was positive that it was not inside my head.

"You finally made it."

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><p><em><strong>AN: **First of all: Whoever can guess who the mysterious voice belongs to gets an internet cookie~  
>Poor Lucy got left behind like the first time on Tenrou xD The poor girl, all alone.<br>And no, I'm not about to start shipping Jellal with Lucy x3 I'm more of a LokixLucy or NatsuxLucy fan xD  
><em>


	14. Interlude: Lost and Found

_**A/N:** Hey everyone~ It's been a while since I updated this story and after the next interlude chapter it might a bit longer. My exam period is coming up and I am going to do my best to focus on that (because I am the world's number one procrastinator). And that's why I might not put up new chapters for a while. But please read the note on my profile for more details~  
>Back to the thing at hand~ First of all, thanks to <strong>Velgamidragon <strong>and **Roseamanelle Ouka Barsburg**_ _for their reviews. I can't express how much I appreciate it. And thanks to all those who faved the story. You know who you are and so do I. Thank you~  
>Now, the next two chapters are interlude chapters which means that Jellal is not in them. This takes place shortly after he and Lucy got seperated (while Jellal is currently running towards Mavis' grave). Please enjoy this (very) short interlude~<em>

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><p>"Seriously! I just found him and now he's already gone? This has got to be a joke."<p>

Lucy stomped through yet another set of bushes in the search of her lost teammate. To her it was frustrating to be on her own again, back tracing her steps in order to find Jellal.

"Why does this always happen to me?" she complained resignedly, falling to her knees. "My second time on this stupid island and I've been left behind _again_." She raised her voice to a loud cry. "I just want to go home!"

The sound of rustling quickly ended her complaint. She slowly stood up and looked in the direction of the sound, clenching the golden key that would let her to summon Loki, her strongest spirit. Despite being alone, she and her spirits could easily put up a fight if an enemy came their way.

Fortunately the people that had found her were far from being enemies. No sooner had Natsu stepped out from behind the bushes before Lucy had run to him.

"Natsu!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms into the air. She then saw two additional familiar characters appear as well. "Gray and Happy too! I was so worried about you guys. I can't believe I found you!"

"I beg to differ," Gray said, poking fun at the emotionally overwhelmed girl. "It was basically the other way around. Why are you getting so worked up? Did you get lost or something?"

"More like left behind!" Lucy was already past her initial surprise and back to complaining. "That idiot Jellal just disappeared on me without saying a word. Can you believe that? And here I thought he was really a nice guy. I was clearly wrong."

"You were with Jellal?" Natsu cut in, his muscles tensing. "I thought I picked up his scent on the way here. No wonder if you were with him Lucy."

"You mean... I've got his scent on me?" She did her best not to sound disgusted. "That's just straight up nasty. And you should really stop smelling others. It's creeping me out."

"I wasn't following _his _scent. I just picked up on it while we were trying to find out where that other smell came from." He frowned and bit his lip. "But now I've lost track of both of them."

"You were the only one chasing it Natsu," Happy said. "Me and Gray were just trying to keep up with you. But you've acted really weird ever since you caught up on that smell."

"Acted weird?" Lucy asked, slightly alarmed. "When exactly did you smell it? About an hour ago maybe?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Natsu replied, surprised at how she could know. "And for a really short time before that as well. Why do you ask?"

"Because," Lucy said with a grim expression, "that's right around the time Jellal started acting all strange and disappeared on me."

Natsu's eyes widened with terror at Lucy's words. He went into a sprint heading further down the path Lucy had come from. He only came to a halt when his comrades caught up to him and demanded an explanation.

"That smell from before... it was really familiar. It was so dark and full of death. I think... I smelled it the last time we were here as well," he said and added eerily. "I have a really bad feeling about this."

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><p><em><strong>AN: **Oh no! Whatever could it be that Natsu smelled for him to be so worked up?_  
><em>About Lucy mentioning being left behind again, it refers to Cana putting her to sleep and leaving her during the S-class exam. And hey! Happy actually talks in this chapter. Don't know why I'm not giving the poor cat more room to speak xD<br>_


	15. Interlude: Arrival of the Fairies

_**A/N:** Here is another interlude chapter and the last one before we get back to Jellal and the mysterious voice~_  
><em>This interlude takes place at the same time as the one before it, but focuses on the Fairy Tail members who are now in pursuit of Jellal and the others. Enjoy~<em>

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><p>"Master! We only have three hours or so left before we reach Tenrou Island. We have a visual on the island in the distance now."<p>

Following up on Makarov's instinct, a group of Fairy Tailed wizards had joined up with the Blue Pegasus guild and had headed towards Tenrou Island in order to bring back their missing members. Everyone had wanted to go, but Makarov had limited the numbers to some of the people, who had experienced the horrors on the island 7 years before.

Among these were the two Dragon Slayers Wendy and Gajeel, the three S-class wizards Mirajane, Laxus and Erza, the four other wizards Cana, Lisanna, Levi and Juvia and of course, Makarov himself. Most of them were trying to relax down in the airship cabin, saving their strength for what could possibly come.

Erza and Makarov were not with them. They were together on the bridge, ready to go down on the island as soon as they had arrived. The armored wizard was filled with worry and with good reason, Makarov noted. A close childhood friend of hers, whom she loved dearly, had risked everything for a chance to go to Tenrou. It was his duty as the guild master of Fairy Tail to keep his family together. This was no exception.

"I told you not to worry, child," Makarov assured the red-haired wizard. "If the Council had caught him, we would surely have heard it by now." His words seemed to calm Erza's nerves just a little. That was, until they received bad news.

"I have just intercepted an urgent message sent to the Council only a few minutes ago." Hibiki, a skilled wizard of Blue Pegasus, addressed the people on the bridge. "They say that an "Ultear Milkovich" have been spotted near the harbor city of Algent. Also..." he paised before passing on the last part of the massage.

"A group of wizard thought to belong to the Fairy Tail guild has just attacked had just attacked a Council ship and have disappeared from sight. Jellal Fernandes was apparently with them."

The message had even Makarov surprised. He knew exactly how foolhardy a child like Natsu could be, but to actually attack Council soldiers directly? That was not just foolhardy, that was suicide.

"This is bad Master." Erza's voice was shaken. The message had only upset her further. "If they catch Jellal now, I'm sure they will..." Her voice cracked.

"I know," Makarov picked up. "If the Council finds him to be a "dangerous individual" who has turned hostile, they will not think twice about using force to apprehend him. His sentence will not be mild either."

Erza's expression grew darker. She knew what he meant. There was only one sentence worse than his previous one: Death.

In the distance Tenrou Island was now in sight and the airship was rapidly approaching. Jellal had to be retrieved by Fairy Tail at all costs. Erza had lost that man far too many times already. One more time could send her over the edge, past the point of no return. Makarov also feared that the younger Fairy Tail members would hold it against the Council, in the worst case, tearing the guild apart.

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><p><em><strong>AN: **And so ends the interlude chapters. Fairy Tail is on their way to Tenrou Island to find their missing members. The threat of the Magic Council is looming right around the corner. And who is the mysterious voice?  
>Well, the identity of the voice will be revealed in the next chapter and Jellal is going to discover a strange new power that has lied dormant inside of him for a long, long time.<br>**Velgamidragon: **That's a pretty interesting guess, actually xD I'm not going to spoil anything though. And just wait. Jellal will get his strength back eventually, though it will take some time~ xD And he needs to build up some confidence. As opposed to the manga, he hasn't had 7 years to do that here xP  
><em>

_The chapters I've uploaded now are actually catching up to the ones I've finished writing. I'm only 2 chapters ahead OTL Which means I need to get back to writing. And studying.  
>I hope I'll survive ;A;<em>


	16. 12: Sacred Resting Place

_**A/N: **GOD, sorry for taking so long in updating! After finishing my exams I had to worry about applying to a university, vacation and lastly costumes for an upcoming convention _ On top of it I've been without a computer since I finished school at the end of June, so I've been checking my mail on my cellphone. However, so not worry~ During my vacation I managed to write 5 new chapters, so the story is far from dead.  
><em>_Before the chapter, let me thank ALL the people who chose to follow this story despite it not being updated in a while. Everytime I get a notification mail I become seriously motivated and inspired to write more. It means a lot that you read what I write.  
><em>_Also, bunches and bunches of thanks, hugs and whatnot to **Velgamidragon** for the review~ I'm glad you like the interludes as well. And for the **Guest** who reviewed yesterday: This is for you ;3 The update you've been waiting for~ I'm sorry it took so long, but I had to wait until I actually had access to a computer with a proper text editing program before I could upload this xD  
><em>_From this point on the story takes a bit of a turn (or so I hope it seems). It might be a bit confusing, but I hope that it'll make at least some sense in the end |D Please enjoy~_

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><p>The clearing I was standing in was truly a beautiful sight to see. The grass was green and exotic flowers stood in full bloom all around, their sweet scent enthralling me. The Tenrou Tree towered above me, reaching into a clear blue sky. The rays of the sun shining down through the leaves of the tree crown completed the otherworldly feeling this paradise-like garden had. For a moment, I had completely lost myself in its serenity.<p>

"Do you like my garden? I have been watching over it for years, but it has been a long time since anybody visited it and even longer since anyone admired its beauty. I wish I could do so myself, but I am afraid that it would be lost if I did."

Slowly I turned my head towards the voice, the same voice I had been hearing time and time again. What I found was a stone monument standing by the truck of the great tree. A small golden flame was burning in its middle. But it was what was in front of the monument that caught my attention.

Sitting on the ground in a very calm state was a young man, seemingly younger than me. He had straight raven black hair that stuck up in the back and a small smile was visible on his lips. He was clad in a long, black robe, which seemed rather impractical. However, the feature that struck me first about him was his dark eyes that seemed to reflect everything like a mirror of your own soul. I had no doubt that the man before me was a wizard and a powerful one as well.

"You are the one who called me here, correct? Why?" I asked him, keeping a sharp eye on him, though he had not at all moved. I could not determine whether he was friend or foe. He appeared to be peaceful, but his presence made me feel... intimidated.

"Yes, that was me," he replied calmly, staring right back at me. "As to why... there are many reasons behind you being here. To redeem yourself from the sins of the past. To free the world from evil. And to find yourself and fulfill your destiny.

"Destiny?" I was puzzled at the things this man had just told me. Somehow it did not surprise me that he knew my reasons for coming to Tenrou and I could not come up with a logical explanation as to why he could know. "Who are you?"

The smile on this mysterious man's face widened at my question. Slowly he rose from the ground and walked towards me. I was unable to move. It was as if I had been paralyzed by the sheer presence of this person. My heart began beating faster and faster. There was no escape.

"You already know the answer to that question, don't you?" He came to a halt right before me. The gaze of his almost black eyes burned into mine. "I know that you have been searching for me. And now that search has brought you here."

My body was covered in a cold sweat and I was shivering madly. My instincts told me to run while my brain told me to fight the spell I seemed to be under. I did neither. Instead I remained still, even as the man gently put a hand on my cheek. He was still smiling at me. Not maliciously. It was different than that. I did not dare to even blink as I spoke his name.

"Zeref."

The Black Wizard seemed pleased with my response. I, on the other hand, was still trying to make sense of what was going on. The man before me was Zeref, the most feared wizard of all times and yet he looked no different from an ordinary young man. He did not look fearsome at all.

No, that was not completely true. I feared him. Somewhere inside of him I sensed that deadly force that had frightened me earlier. Magic of life and death itself. This man possessed powers that far surpassed my comprehension.

Then I remembered that he had lured me to this island. Zeref himself had wanted me to come to him. I had let myself be controlled by a being of darkness once again and now I was trapped. I felt stupid for letting myself be tricked when it should have been obvious that something had been off since the beginning. And meanwhile, I had to fight the fear whelming up inside me.

"You feel it, don't you?" Zeref removed his hand from my cheek. "The powers I have that can kill in an instant and the endless supply of magic that follows. It would only be natural to feel fear when carrying the burden of such power." He closed his eyes and his expression suddenly saddened. "You should not waste your kindness on me. Save that empathy for someone deserving of your understanding."

At first, what he said made little sense, but in my mind, the pieces soon came together. The more I thought about it, the more I understood. It was not Zeref as a person, who made me tremble with fear. Neither was it the sensation of his vast powers.

I was scared that I might hurt someone because I lost control. My thoughts went back to when I had lost myself to the darkness in the Tower of Heaven. I had killed Simon. I had hurt Erza. And I regretted it, blamed myself even hated my own guts for having done so.

My legs gave in and I fell to my knees. Warm tears came running down my face. I was scared out of my mind. I looked at my hands which would not stop shaking. It was not just my own fear, because I would have been able to cope with that. Rather it was as if someone else's fear had entered the core of my soul and left me in this state of despair.

Zeref kneeled down in front of me, his expression undeterminable through the tears in my eyes. Quietly he put his arms around me and pulled me into a safe embrace. I did not try to resist, because I needed the comfort and the hate I had felt towards him in the past was starting to wither away.

The fear inside me was the same as his. I just knew it. He was scared to kill other living things with a power he was unable to control. I could hardly believe it, but I knew in my heart that one thing was true. This man, the Black Wizard Zeref was full of fear from the inability to control his own magic. This knowledge made me question my own beliefs.

How could someone this afraid of killing innocent people be seen as evil? I felt no evil intentions coming from him. Death, anger and darkness, yes, but not evil or malice.

"That power of yours is truly something." Once I had somewhat regained control of my _own_ emotions, Zeref let go of me, pulled back and stood up. I followed his example, though my legs were still weak. "You are much more like her than I ever would have dared to think. I have no doubt that she already knew this."

Before I could ask him who this woman he was suddenly comparing me to was, his gaze shifted to somewhere behind me. I sensed that we had gotten company. Turning around, I saw four familiar faced twisted in shock and horror. The pink-haired boy in front looked extremely angry as well.

"I knew it was you, you bastard. Get away from my friend!"

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><p><strong><em>AN: _**_Just as I am not planning to pair up Gray and Jellal, I don't mean for our dear blue-haired friend to couple up with Zeref (though I know it might seem that way). I just happen to like sweet and kind Zeref. Also, the explanation for the "power" Zeref mentions is coming in the next chapters |D It shouldn't be anything too out-of-place though~_


	17. 13: Dragons and Fairies

_**A/N: **I figured you should all have another chapter since you've been waiting for so long. So we go with the 13th chapter. I can't believe I'm already at this point in the story. Draft-wise I've even reached the end of everything happening at Tenrou which opens up for the second part of the story. The next part should be around chapters 18-20ish depending on how everything will be wrapped up.__  
>This next chapter was actually written on my phone and hopefully the only one that will be |D Writing on it is <em>hard_. __It's also from this point on the story takes a bit of a turn (or so I hope it seems). Please enjoy~_

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><p>Natsu looked as if he could come rushing towards Zeref and I at any given moment. Flames had engulfed his hands and his expression revealed his anger. But still he did nothing but stand there. Despite looking determined he was shaking all over. Of course he had witnessed the Black Wizard's power before.<p>

"It has been a while, Natsu," Zeref said, a weak smile upon his lips. "I am glad to see that you too are doing well."

"Shut up," the Dragon Slayer cut him off. He then turned to me, his eyes showing hints of desperation. "Get away from that guy! He's the one. That's Zeref right there!"

"I..." I tried, but my voice craked before I could finish. Sinking the lump I felt in my throat I turned my head to look up at the boy beside me. The fear remained but it felt less overwhelming than before. I found myself able to get back up on my feet again. Zeref was trying to keep his powers from hurting any of us the best he could and judging by the conflicting emotions I felt coming from him it was quite a struggle.

"I... I know. I know who he is." I looked back at Natsu frowning deeply. "And the ones who have to get away are you. Don't come any closer, understood?"

My words seemed to throw the four friends off balance. I was aware of how they might interpret what I said, but despite Zeref's efforts to keep harm away I could not risk letting them get hurt. Or, even worse, killed.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Gray had stepped forward despite my warning. "Are you turning your back on us? What did that guy tell you?" He clenched his fist as he made eye contact with me. "Are you going to betray Erza again?"

Gray's last remark felt like a stab to my heart. I could not bear to look at him. Was I going to betray everyone? No. Never again would I do that. But I needed answers and it appeared that Zeref had at least some of them. I had to know why I was still here, why Zeref had called me to Tenrou Island, even if it meant disappointing my newfound friends.

"This is no time for Fairy Tail to be fighting amongst each other."

Zeref had raised his voice and we all fell silent. The aura around him had changed completely. There was no doubt. He was angry and we had better listen.

"Time is of importance. As we speak a number of people are closing in of this islands and not only foes. While the barrier I put up has been able to keep all human life away for a while it was broken the moment you arrived. Your comrades are on their way here and they are not alone. Those serving the Magic Council are watching their every move. The gathering of all these people is sure to draw the attention of the harbinger of the Apocalypse. That is why we need to keep it together and act."

"A-Apocalypse? Are you talking about Acnologia? Is it coming back here?"

Lucy had gone panicky again. Gray, Happy and Natsu were shocked as well. I could feel my blood run cold at the revelation. They had already ended up 7 years into the future because of Acnologia. What would happen this time if it came around?

"You all need to calm down." Zeref spoke slowly in order to lower our anxiety. "I am aware of the threat the Black Dragon poses, but that is why you are here. Acnologia can be stopped even if just temporary. There is someone here with the power to stop it."

"You?" Natsu snorted. He did not appear to be convinced. "I get that you're the most powerful wizard in history, but if you can do it then why didn't you do a thing 7 years ago? "

"I am flattered that you would think that I could take Acnologia down but no. I am not as powerful as you think. My magic... is the same as Acnologia's." Zeref bowed his head. "That sort of magic would have no effect on him."

"You learned magic from a dragon? You're a Dragon Slayer?" Natsu widened his eyes in surprise but it turned to a frown as Zeref slowly shook his head.

"No, not a Dragon Slayer. I learned magic from a dragon but I cannot use it as a dragon can. Therefore I am no match for Acnologia should it ever come to that. The magic of a dragon is superior to most other kinds of magic."

"Most other kinds," I noted. That meant something existed that could overpower even the strongest beings known to the world. My eyes shifted to Natsu. My first guess would have been Dragon Slayer Magic but that seemed to contradict the fact that Zeref had called out to me. I was not a Dragon Slayer, Natsu was. Had I been bait to lure Natsu to the island? No, that made no sense either. Natsu would have sought out Zeref on his own. So why me?

"Yes, but it is not what you think." Zeref's remark made me jolt a bit. He had seen right through me. "While Dragon Slayers are certainly powerful enough to defeat dragons it would take many years to reach that level. No, there is a different kind of magic that is powerful even without the proper training. That is our only hope."

We all looked around at one another without saying anything. I am quite sure that none of us had any idea what magic could possibly be better to use against a dragon than that of a Dragon Slayer. All but Zeref of course, but he kept quiet as well. Slowly he then turned around and walked towards the monument behind us. His hand made contact with it and a dim glow surrounded it.

"The magic we are looking for is here," he explained. "The magic my dear Mavis was taught by the fairie so many years ago. Magic that has passed down through generations in your guild."

The rest of us stared dumbfounded as a small girl appeared out of thin air, holding Zeref's free hand. Her hair was long and wavy shining with a light golden color and she wore a white dress. She looked very young and fragile but like Zeref her knowing smile told a different story.

"Fairy Magic."

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><p><strong><em>AN:_**_I've taken the liberty of including some of the speculation I've found regarding Fairy Tail. Most of it comes from my strange mind.  
>A funny thing: I have writted 3 different drafts of this chapter in total which took the storyline in different directions. The original storyline involved Acnologia being a "fake" dragon created by Zeref |D I ended up ditching the idea since I couldn't figure out exactly how to move on the story from a certain point. Thus I worked my way towards the story we have now. But no spoilers~ |D<br>Another funny fact: The next few chapters' drafts (last part of chapter 14 up to 16 plus the interlude) were written in the course of a couple of hours _straight_ while I was on vacation. That's about 3,5 chapters xD I was even told it was like I had been possessed during that time because you simply could not get in contact with me. This was after I had seen a couple of mails telling me more people followed the story. So yeah, you all inspire me with your reviews, follows and favorites~ Thank you._


	18. 14: Power of Understanding

_**A/N:** GAWD, I'm so sorry for the long time between updates. Let's just say life is being a bit of a bitch ATM. I'm busy with school, I've started drawing again and I hardly ever find time to write for more than a few hours every week. On top of it, I'm working on several stories at the same time. That's why you may see less frequent updates in the near future. I hope to return to updating often soon again though~  
><em>_Thanks to **Guest** and **JellalxErza** (what a perfect name~) for reviewing~ I'm so glad to see people are still taking time to review even though my updates are so slow. OTL Also, thanks a lot to everyone who has started to follow the story and those who favorited it. It means a lot to me~  
>On to the story~ This is another chapter with a bunch of talking, so I apologize in advance. I'm terrible at writing action (especially in a first person POV), but over the next couple of chapters, interesting things (I hope) are going to happen~<em>

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><p>I could hardly believe my eyes as I stood there staring at the small girl. Was she Mavis? Had Fairy Tail truly been founded by a child that young? But of course it was possible. Zeref was, despite his appearance, supposedly several hundred years old and, judging from the way he referred to her, the two of them shared some kind of close relationship.<p>

The Black Wizard and the founder of the Fairy Tail guild being allies seemed like a highly unlikely scenario… and yet that appeared to actually be the case.

"Long time no see," the girl chuckled as she waved at Natsu and the others. "I am so happy that I got to see you all again. And you must be Jellal." She let go of Zeref and went to me, taking my hands into her own. "I finally get to meet you! You have no idea how long we've both wanted to. I know this must all be really confusing for you. I bet my brother hasn't shared anything useful."

"Mavis…" Zeref muttered, seemingly not appreciating her behavior. Then it hit me. She had just called him "brother". Were the two of them related?

"Wait a secong. You're… siblings?!" Natsu put the surprise we all felt into words. However, puzzling as it appeared, it was easy to see the closeness between the two or, in my case, sense it. Simply by looking into Mavis' eyes I sensed her love for the Black Wizard much like I had sensed Zeref's fear and sadness before.

"Yeah." Mavis nodded, still smiling. "It's a detail never mentioned in any book or script throughout history. Whether we are related by blood or not, neither of us know." She closed her eyes. "But he is my beloved brother and always has been."

As we stood there trying to let the information sink in we were interrupted by the approaching noise of an engine. The situation had been turned upside down. I felt deep terror run through my body. It had to be the "comrades" Zeref had mentioned.

"Could it be… Blue Pegasus' airship?" Gray asked turning to Lucy. She nodded. They were probably right. I recalled that very guild having aided Fairy Tail in the battle against their common enemy, Oracion Seis. It would not be strange if they were helping once again.

"Damn it! They need to get out of here!" Natsu gritted his teeth and lowered his voice as he turned to his winged friend. "Happy. Take Lucy and go to the airship. Tell everyone to get away from the island!"

"Natsu!" Lucy protested, but the Dragon Slayer sent her a look that was not to be questioned. The blue cat grabbed onto her and set off, flying back towards the coast. After they had left Natsu and Gray both came forward until they stood by my side.

"You should go as well," Zeref told them, his voice grim. "Your lives will be in danger if you stay."

"You can forget about that. We're staying." Gray put a hand on my shoulder and pointed at his own chest with his free thumb. "Jellal's our friend and we're not about to leave him behind when it gets dangerous. And we won't listen to complaints about it from either of you!"

I felt deeply touched by Gray's words. Despite only having known me for a short while he had already both saved my life and acknowledged me as a friend. Natsu to had referred to me in that way. In that moment I decided: I had to protect them, even at the cost of my own life. The rest of Fairy Tail too: Lucy and Happy. Wendy and Charle.

And Erza.

Mavis looked around at the three of us, surprisingly happy. Zeref too appeared to be quite pleased with the current situation.

"I'm happy to see what wonderful comrades you've all become." The little girl tilted her head and looked at me with a wide, honest smile. "I couldn' have expected you to come here on better terms. I'm glad my magic was passed on to you."

"Fairy Magic? Him?" Before I could ask Mavis what magic she was talking about Natsu had already interrupted. "Aren't Gramps and Laxus the only ones who can use that?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Mavis chuckled. "I didn't mean Fairy Magic, but I can see why you misunderstood. Not many know of it. No, I was talking about empathy."

"It's not just the simple ability to try and understand others." Zeref crossed his arms and looked at me. "It is a unique type of magic one is born with, allowing its user to look deep within the hearts of others, sensing their true feelings."

I swallowed a lump in my throat. Magic one was born with. It was true that I had always easily understood others. Perhaps this was the very reason I had found it less challenging to manipulate others in the past. Not to mention that I had been able to sense Zeref and Mavis' feelings. But me having _inherited_ the power from Mavis? That could not be.

"So, you mean it's like being a mind reader? That's kind of unnerving," Gray said, slightly jokingly. I was about to give him a piece of my mind on his statement, but he stopped me before I could do so. "I'm kidding! It just means you were really supposed to be with Fairy Tail since the beginning, right?"

"That is true, but fate sometimes plays tricks. Cruel tricks. But now that you are here you will be able to fulfill your duty as a guild wizard of Fairy Tail and save us all with a power that can only be entrusted to you." Zeref stepped up beside Mavis, who continued the explanation.

"As a simple spirit, I don't have any magic power. That means you are the only person in this world with both the ability to understand the emotions of all living creatures as well as the potential to possess an enormous amount of magic power. The third Master and his grandchild do not have these same qualities and that is why, even in your current state, I asked my brother to bring you here."

"What is it that you want me to do?" I asked her, not quite sure what she was getting at. Did she want me to fight Acnologia using a power I never knew I had? I was nowhere close to being back to my former strength and I there was no time for me to become stronger. A faraway roar reminded me of the pressure we were under.

"Use the greatest Fairy spell to bring Acnologia down and give us time to act." The Black Wizard put his hand on my chest. "The potential is in there. All you need is to learn how to channel it." He proceeded to walk past me, tapping Natsu on the shoulder. "Natsu. You are coming with me. We might have to stall Acnologia for a while."

"If that's what's going to save everyone, I'm in!" Natsu said, looking all fired up at the thought of facing the dragon again, this time with Zeref at his side. "Doesn't mean I'm trusting you yet." Before dashing off he gave me a thumbs-up, a huge grin on his face.

"You can do it, Jellal. We believe in you."

As Natsu disappeared out of the clearing with Zeref my unease only grew. I wanted to be someone he could believe in… but how was I ever going to learn a spell powerful enough to stop a being like Acnologia in such a short amount of time?

Those thoughts of mine were immediately turned more grave as another roar sounded right above us.

Acnologia had arrived.

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><p><em><strong>AN:** Dun dun DUUUUUN~ Yes, Jellal can learn to use Fairy Magic~ I know it is restricted to the masters of Fairy Tail (and Laxus, derp), but it has plot relevance, believe me. A LOT of plot relevance. Also, Jellal's power of "empathy" is NOT mind reading, just to clarify. He can't read distinct thoughts. Instead he senses the emotions of other people. I figured it would come naturally to a character like him, who used to be so manipulative.  
><em>_And now the excitement begins~ The battle with Acnologia is coming up. Yes, there will be a showdown. Look forward to it~_


	19. 15: Ancient Knowledge

_**A/N: **B'aww, I can't just leave you guys hanging! At least not for too long. So now you're going to get two chapters again. One is another interlude. I've begun to enjoy writing those too~  
>Thanks to <strong>Titania Eli <strong>for reviewing. It's partially because of that I thought I would upload again xD I feel so bad knowing you're waiting for me. I FEEL LIKE SUCH A SLOWPOKE. And for that I apologize *bows*  
>ANYWAY, on to the chapters~<em>

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><p>I looked at Mavis, desperate for her to tell me exactly how to turn the current situation around. Natsu and her brother were risking to hold off the Black Dragon. Had Lucy and Happy been successful in getting everyone off the island? I could not bear the thought of anyone dying because I failed.<p>

Sensing my unease, Mavis clenched my hands tighter. She did not appear to have complete faith in this plan unlike Zeref. But we had to succeed. There simply was no other choice.

"Listen closely," Mavis said, all of her cheerfulness gone in an instant. "Once I've passed this knowledge on to you my reason for staying in this world will be gone. You will be on your own." She glanced up at Gray and back to me. "This will be my last stand. The rest is up to you."

I nodded slowly to show her my understanding and looked over at Gray to see him do the same. Mavis was not going to see the end of this battle. It pained me to hear, but I also understood how she longed for eternal, peaceful rest.

"I've never told anyone about this spell. While it may not seem like it, it has an even greater effect than the three other Fairy spells combined. You cannot use it at full strength just by having the knowledge, but I hope you will someday understand it to the point that you can use it to defeat Acnologia once and for all."

Mavis closed her eyes and a dim golden glow spread from her chest until it engulfed her entire body. Slowly, but surely, it reached her hands and I felt how it spread to me as well. I was surprised at the pleasant warmth and I let out a small gasp.

Along with the warmth a strange feeling flowed into me. Without any words uttered Mavis shared all knowledge she had of the Fairy spells with me.

First, Fairy Law. A spell which banished all evil without harming allies.

Second, Fairy Glitter. With the power of light, the spell rejects the presence of an enemy.

Third, Fairy Sphere. An ultimate protective spell, forming a large impenetrable sphere to keep one's comrades out of harm's way.

And then came the fourth spell.

Fairy Heart.

The knowledge of this particular spell overwhelmed me, leaving me gasping for air. Within a few seconds Mavis' words resonated inside my mind, emphasizing how important it was to remember one's emotions and bonds. I could not quite understand the meaning of it, but the way to cast it stood clear in my mind and as the warm feeling left me, I understood one thing:

I would not be able to fully comprehend the spell until I had seen its power for myself.

Once it was all over I felt my knees buckle and nearly give away underneath me. Before falling Gray managed to support me and we quietly watched as Mavis' body slowly faded away. Before vanishing completely, she sent us a large smile.

"Thank you. For sure, someday…"

Her last words were hardly hearable and then… she was gone. Hardly noticing the noise that met me as I broke out of Mavis' stream of knowledge I felt my eyes water and silent tears rolled from them. Had Gray not been there I would probably have been at a loss. I wondered if he even had any idea of what had happened between me and Mavis, but he did not say anything that hinted towards it.

A large quake threw the both of us off our feet and onto the ground. I felt a sting in the palm of my hand as my skin was cut open by a sharp rock. Gray groaned in pain beside me.

"What the hell was that?" he asked, grabbing his left arm as he stood up. "It was like the entire island just jumped."

"Acnologia," I muttered, staring at my bleeding hand before clenching it tightly, drops of blood trickling down my arm. "We have to hurry. Natsu could be in trouble."

"Agreed."

We had not moved further than a few feet before another violent shake stopped us in our tracks. Then another one. Neither of us were able to go anywhere as long as the quaking continued. I let myself fall to one knee to avoid falling over and get further wounded. Gray followed my example.

The last quake was followed by an even stronger one, this time lasting far longer. It was as if the entire world was being torn apart. Cracks were starting to appear on the ground and I feared we were going to sink along with the island.

Then the tremors stopped and a deadly silence followed. I remained in my kneeling position for several minutes while trying to figure out whether we were safe or not. As an overwhelming presence approached I turned to Gray, who was trying to get back up.

"Stay down! It's coming!"

No sooner had I warned him before I was forced to throw myself on the ground, watching as Gray was blown off his feet by a large gust of wind. I cried out to him, calling his name, but I got no response. Instead I looked up at our attacker.

There it was. Acnologia, the Black Dragon of the Apocalypse. I felt nothing but sheer terror as I stood up before it. In my life I had never seen a being as intimidating. The only way to describe its size was enormous. Its pitch black body rose up high towards a pair of large jaws filled with razor-sharp fangs. The eyes were fixed on me.

For a while neither of us moved an inch. We just stood there as if we were measuring each other's strength. I knew I could not afford to show any sign of weakness or doubt. If I did the dragon would kill me. I had to believe in the power Mavis had passed on to me.

"You smell… like a fairy."

I narrowed my eyes trying to figure out who was speaking. A cold shiver ran down my spine as I realized the thundering voice belonged to Acnologia. The dragon could talk and I understood it. Or had it even spoken out loud? I could not tell.

Another roar terrified me as Acnologia stomped the ground. The earth shook and trees were splintered underneath its claws. I was unable to move. Acnologia's strength had left me frozen.

"Don't just stare at it. Do something, damn it!"

Someone came dashing in from the side to attack the monstrosity, digging a blade of ice into is leg. It was Gray. He looked awful, blood gushing out on one side of his face. Acnologia did not flinch, but simply turned its attention towards the attacker.

"No!" I screamed, watching as a giant claw was lifted from the ground and planted on top of Gray before he could even blink. I stared in dismay. No one could have survived being stepped upon by such a large creature. My head had in an instant turned into a mess. Gray was gone because of _me._ It was all my fault.

Without thinking I threw my head back and cried my lungs out. I had been shaken up, but I needed to focus. This was not the time to give up. If I did, Gray would not be the only one I lost. Taking in a deep breath I crossed my hands in front of my chest and repeated the casting of Mavis' ultimate spell.

"Remember your friends… the bonds you've made. Feel them resonate with your own feelings deep inside the core of your being."

Mavis' words looped in my head. I recalled the time I had woken up in the current era. Wendy had saved me then. I had met Natsu again. They had brought me to Fairy Tail. I remembered the kindness they had all shown me. They were all here: Mirajane, Laxus, Master Makarov. All so very close.

Without warning Acnologia lashed out at me, knocking me down. Did it feel threatened, knowing the power of this spell? I somehow managed to get back up and take the same pose. Looking up at the magnificent dragon before me I smiled.

"Take in all the feelings of the ones you love and let your enemy feel it too. In that moment, one is all… and all is one."

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><p><em><strong>AN:** Yes, I did take the liberty to create a fourth Fairy spell |D It_'s..._ complicated, but as I said, Jellal being able to use this magic is a big part of the plot~  
>And I feel awful for what I've done to Gray now. Stay with me on this one~ We're nearing the end of the first part of the story~<em>


	20. Interlude: When All Is One

_**A/N:** Second update~ Another interlude it is. What happens here is actually parallel to the previous and the chapter following this._

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><p>At the coast of Tenrou island a large gathering was taking place. On the shore an airship had crash landed after being attacked by the Black Dragon. Off the shore, out on the sea, a fleet of 10 ships from the Magic Council were waiting. One had anchored near the island alongside one holding more guild wizards. Most of the arrived were anxioud, carefully watching Acnologia's every move.<p>

One such person was Lahar, an officer from the Magic Council. 7 years ago he had captured and imprisoned Jellal Fernandes, a wanted criminal. Now he had been caught up in a much graver situation by having followed the same man.

"This is bad." A man with a characteristic scar on his face walked up to Lahar, visibly upset. "Acnologia seems to have turned its focus elsewhere, but we can't determine what it is."

"Gather the soldiers, Doranbalt," Lahar replied, looking over at the crashed airship. "Return to the ship at once and head out. I won't risk your lives should the dragon attack."

Doranbalt tried to protest, but he was brushed off by a single hand movement. Lahar sighed. Too many people were already on the island.

Walking over to the crashed airship he noticed two people undergoing treatment. He recognized one of them as Natsu Dragneel. It was no surprise. Most likely he had been in Acnologia's way and Lahar certainly found it impressive that he still found the strength to complain despite looking as if half of all bones in his body had been broken.

The other was a complete stranger. He appeared to be around Natsu's age, but he was quieter and something about his presence alarmed Lahar greatly. He doubted the kid was from Fairy Tail, yet something about him seemed awfully familiar…

Lahar gulped as the boy suddenly turned his gaze towards him. Gathering his composure he went towards the boy.

"You are from the Council, correct?" The boy had a bandage wrapped around his head, tufts of black hair sticking out from underneath. Otherwise, he looked unscathed. If he, too, had been near the Black Dragon his lack of wounds hinted at great power.

"I am." Lahar sat down on the sand before the boy. "Would you mind telling me your name?" He tried to sound as possible as to not frighten him. "It looks painful, that head wound."

"This? Ah, no. Not really." The boy shook his head slowly, pulling off the bandage. Lahar was surprised to see no blood on it. "I have a bit of a headache. But I am not one to complain." He nodded towards Natsu, who cried out as a blonde girl tended to a seemingly broken arm.

"My name… is Zeref."

Lahar jerked back to look at the boy. He did not appear to be making fun. At his mistrust the boy's presence changed for a second into overwhelming darkness.

"Z-Zeref?"

"Indeed." A scarlet-haired woman clad in armor joined the two. "I, too, did not believe it until I saw him and Natsu fight Acnologia. His powers cannot be questioned."

Erza appeared to be slightly absent, constantly looking at the Black Dragon in the distance. Lahar wondered if someone precious to her was still in there. Since a particular man was missing at the beach, it was likely the case.

"He's in there, isn't he?" Erza continued to stare into the island forest. "That's why Acnologia is leaving us be out here. Something is going on. I can feel it." Her entire body started shaking and she lowered her head.

"I'm sorry," Zeref admitted, bowing his head. "I wish there was more I could do, but I'm afraid he is our only hope. He is the only one who can stop Acnologia at this point."

The conversation ended there. Lahar was most certain that the one the two were speaking of were none other than the same man he had been chasing after. Could it be that Jellal Fernandes, a man responsible for much evil, had changed and become their savior?

Lahar shot a glance at Erza. Her body continued to shake, something rarely seen when it came to her. The black-haired boy, too, looked uneasy. If he was indeed the Black Wizard Zeref, that should be plenty of reason to be alarmed.

"Have any of you seen Gray?"

The blonde girl, who had treated Natsu, had come over, leaving the Dragon Slayer to rest. She was also visibly upset. Erza shook her head while Zeref looked away.

"Natsu said he was still at Mavis' grave with Jellal before he left," she continued, hand shaking. "If he's in there he could be in trouble." She stopped herself. "No, they could both be! We have to do something! Anything…"

Only just had the girl stated her worries before Acnologia moved again. Everyone, Lahar as well, jumped to their feet. Lahar felt a surge of relief as the dragon appeared to remain focused at something else.

"Damn it," Erza whispered, clenching her fists. "We can't just stay here and wait. We have to act now!" She stood up, about to move ahead, but was stopped by a menacing force.

"Stay where you are." Zeref glared up at her, his eyes red as blood. "There is nothing any of us can do. Going against Acnologia will only result in a meaningless death." Zeref looked around at the others. "I am going to honor Mavis' final wish and believe in her… and believe in him. That is all we can do."

Lahar was amazed at the boy's authority. Everyone kept quiet. They had to believe in Jellal and pray that he could save them. It seemed farfetched, but if that was the only way…

"Yeah. The least we can do is believe in him. He's going to give it all he's got and win!"

Lahar turned to see Natsu joining them, ignoring the pain of his broken limbs. A small girl with blue hair was with him.

"I know Jellal is a good person," she told with eyes glistening from tears. "He believed in me when I couldn't myself. That's why I'm going to believe in him this time."

"That's right," the blonde added. "Even though I haven't known him for very long, he's still a precious friend! He's fighting for our sake, so we have to believe!"

More voices rose behind them, showing their support for the man facing Acnologia alone. Lahar could not help but to be impressed by their loyalty.

"Though you may be a criminal, I might have to let it slip this time," he mumbled, surprised at his own change of heart. He then added in a louder voice. "Jellal Fernandes, you have my support as well. Win this battle and return to your guild!"

"Can you hear them, Jellal?" Erza looked towards the great beast, tears running from her eyes, small smile on her lips. "We're right here, so you know have to return. I'll never forgive you if you don't." Her voice became a mere whisper.

"I love you… Jellal."

At that very moment, Lahar felt a strange warm sensation in his chest. Looking around he saw more people putting a hand on their heart, puzzled. There was little doubt. This was his response. He felt them too. Zeref also seemed to feel it, tears falling as he lifted his head.

"I knew you could do it. Mavis was right all along. This is the true Fairy Heart."

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><p><em><strong>AN:** Fun fact: I never planned for this to be written from Lahar's point of view. I actually wanted to write Erza, but instead this happened xD It was strange, really, but it felt right.  
>In the next chapter you will get the EPIC SHOWDOWN WITH ACNOLOGIA~ So please, stay tuned~ |D<em>


	21. 16: Fairy Heart

_**A/N:** We have now reached the climax of the first part of the story! Dun dun DUUUUUN~  
><em>_I'm sure you'll all be happy to hear that I managed to write **3 new chapters** for this story today. I'm at chapter 20 now! I can't believe this story is already that long. It's all thanks to you guys. Your reviews inspire and motivate me. Even when I feel I can't come up with anything, I just have to look at the things you have written and I'm all fired up. Thank you so much. You have no idea how much it means.  
>Please enjoy this chapter and know that there is much more to come. My ideas for this story has returned~<em>

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><p>With another sweep of its enormous claw, Acnologia knocked me down yet again. I had lost count of how many times it had struck me already. The only thing on my mind was to focus on casting the spell. It was all I could do.<p>

Trying to get back up, I could feel my legs were about to give in. My eyes were getting hazy. While I hardly felt any pain, I knew my body could not handle much more damage. I was only able to still stand out of sheer will.

Once more I crossed my hands in front of my chest. I had to try harder for the sake of everyone. I could not afford to lose any more people close to me. That was never going to happen again ever.

"Everyone, please…" I closed my eyes and prayed for the people I knew to hear me. I felt a soothing warmth spread from my chest and throughout my body. It was pleasant, yet sad.

"Please lend me your strength!"

In that moment the world around me changed in a burst of light. The clearing and Mavis' grave had vanished. Instead I found myself floating in a sea of light. I felt completely at ease for a moment before I remembered: I had to keep my focus. Once again I closed my eyes, focusing on recalling the bonds I shared with my friends.

Natsu and Wendy were not the only ones who had treated me kindly along with the S-class wizards and Master Makarov. Going back, I thought of the time I had spent with Lucy upon arriving at Tenrou Island. She had shared her stories despite still being cautious of me at first. Thought the time we had shared had been short it felt like she and I could talk so much more.

Ultear and Meredy. My former partner in crime and her own apprentice so to speak. We had met shortly and Ultear had promised me that we were going to discuss the past. We had both changed since then and I still lots of questions I wanted to ask her.

Gray. He had not known me before we met from other than what he had been told. Even so, the two of us had gone out on a job together and he had saved my life, probably twice. He had cheered me up on our trip to Tenrou Island. He had even stayed behind with me despite knowing I would have to fight Acnologia. He had given up his life to get me to pull together and win. Apart from Erza, he was the closest to a best friend I had ever known. The sacrifice he had made would not be in vain.

And Erza. I had caused her so much pain several times and yet she always found it in her heart to forgive me. Behind her harsh shell was the kindest soul I knew. Back when my memories were still lost, her name was the only one I had been able to remember.

Yes, of all the people I had gotten to know throughout my life, Erza was still the one that stood clearest in my mind. I loved her. I always had and always would. Now I knew that for sure.

All of a sudden it was as if I had found my resolve to fight anew: I had to protect Erza and everyone from Fairy Tail. I was going to fulfill Mavis' final wish. I was going to defeat Acnologia.

Just then, a small character appeared before me. The golden hair and her frilly dress gave away her identity. It was Mavis. She did not say a single word and instead several more people appeared around me, all with hands on their chest and eyes fixed on me. I could see Erza among them. Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Master Makarov, Ultear… even Gray was there.

"Yeah. The least we can do is believe in him," I heard Natsu say. "He's going to give it all he's got and win!"

"I know Jellal is a good person." It was Wendy's voice. "He believed in me when I couldn't myself. That's why I'm going to believe in him this time."

"That's right. Even though I haven't known him for very long, he's still a precious friend!" I turned towards Lucy, who was now speaking up. "He's fighting for our sake, so we have to believe!"

"Though you may be a criminal, I might have to let it slip this time." It was a voice I had not expected to hear: Lahar, a man of the Magic Council. "Jellal Fernandes, you have my support as well. Win this battle and return to your guild!"

"It's strange. Though you're far away, I sense that you're fighting." Ultear had taken over. "I believe in your guild and I believe in you. Please win this fight for all of us."

"What are you waiting for, you damn idiot?" I heard Gray speak and was surprised to hear his voice again. "You're still in battle so hurry up and finish it. Go for the victory, partner!"

"Can you hear them, Jellal?" My heart almost skipped a beat upon hearing Erza. "We're right here, so you know have to return. I'll never forgive you if you don't. I love you, Jellal."

Before I could tell Erza how I felt the same way for her, Mavis stepped forward, putting one of her hands on top of mine still folded across my chest.

"This is the true strength of Fairy Heart," she told. "The true power lies in the bonds you have with your friends, comrades and family and the mutual faith you have in one another. You understand the importance of it all now…" She tightened her grasp.

"Now go. The power you hold at this very moment can be rivaled by no other magic or spell in this world. Have faith. You have the power you need to stop Acnologia. Release it and let it feel all the emotions of you and everyone else in this world. Show it that you will live on for one another!"

The light surrounding me had started to fade back to the familiar area on Tenrou Island. Soon I could see the Black Dragon once more. I could sense its fear, just as I had sensed the feelings of others before. It was well aware of my power.

My heart sunk slightly as I saw Erza and everyone else fade away as well. I knew they believed in me, but this was a battle I had to fight alone.

No. That was not true. They were all _here_. They were not far away. Neither did they stand behind me to give me support. Everyone was fighting _with_ me. Even if I could not see them, they were here, fighting just as hard as I was. They were inside of me, deep in my heart, ensuring that this fight would result in a resounding victory.

"This is it," I said to Acnologia, not caring whether it understood or not. "You won't be destroying this island or bring fear down upon anyone anymore. Not as long as I'm here…" I paused as a smile came upon my face.

"No. Not as long as _Fairy Tail_ is here! Remember that, you big pile of evil. This is the power of the fairies!"

All at once I released the power I had built up inside. The feelings of everyone flowed out of me, forming an enormous burst of light which struck Acnologia. It did not move at all. I wondered if it had simply accepted defeat.

I heard the dragon cry out in what I thought to be a mixture of anger and despair. The power originating from the bonds between my friends and I, a force created by uniting our common feelings for one another, had resulted in this. We had found a power that could actually _hurt_ Acnologia and not just physically. I knew the feelings of everyone who had been with me had entered it as well. I knew little of the minds of dragons, but surely an overload of emotions, human emotions, was not exactly a force known well to them.

My powers were quickly diminishing and the burst of magic did not last for very long. I did not even notice that I fell on my back onto the ground. I simply did not care. As I felt the exhaustion winning in on me, I began to laugh. I could hardly believe it.

This had been yet another resounding victory for Fairy Tail.

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><p><em><strong>AN:** There isn't a lot of action despite it being an EPIC SHOWDOWN HURR DURR. As I have said before, I fail at writing action sequences so I wanted to save that for later. Instead there's more emotion in this. AND FINALLY, A CONFESSION! 8D What will happen next? You'll know soon enough~  
>Also, FUS RO DAH! 8D The whole concept of dragons not being used to human emotions is sort of Skyrim-ish |D I had been playing it too much around the time I wrote this chapter. The Fairy Heart spell does not work on dragons alone though |D Again, you'll know soon enough.<br>We're nearing the end of this first part of the story. Just one more chapter and we'll be in part 2~ What is going to happen Jellal and everyone else after this exciting victory?_

_YOU WILL KNOW SOON ENOUGH 8D_

_Fun fact: "Fairy Heart" is actually the short version of this chapter's title |D The full title is "Fairy Heart a.k.a. OP Magic Spell of Epic AWESOMENESS". However, I felt it was a bit too long (and absolutely too ridiculous) to use for real |D Hence the short version~_


	22. 17: Aftermath of the Battle

_**A/N:** Another chapter for you guys today because I've been so productive |D I hope you'll enjoy this last chapter of the first part of the story~  
>...I also seriously hope you are shippers of Jellal x Erza because from this point on, they're pretty much a couple in this story xD Quite a bit of romance this chapter has. I hope to add in more later.<br>There is something else I want to add as well. In chapter 6, I mentioned in an A/N that I had not planned for the Grand Magic Games to actually take place. Well... that has changed |D The Grand Magic Games WILL take place, though a bit different from in the manga and probably with a different purpose. I can tell you that some of the guys from Sabertooth are going to have some key roles in this story and I could simply not find a way for them to be introduced other than this. Besides, I feel like having Jellal kick some ass in the Games |D  
>ON TO THE CHAPTER~<em>

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><p>How much time had passed since I had collapsed I did not know. When I managed to open my tired eyes, everything was quiet. Acnologia was nowhere to be seen. I wondered if it had fled. Surely its body would have remained if we had truly defeated it.<p>

Having fled or not, I could not care less. With the help of Fairy Tail, Mavis' plan to beat Acnologia had been a success. It was possible to defeat the Black Dragon and now we even had a way to do so. That alone had to be the greatest of victories: We had found something to believe in. We still had hope. It was almost like a miracle.

And that was not the only miracle. Leaning against a tree stump, halfway uprooted by the earlier battle, and giving my exhausted body a rest, I heard a rather hoarse laugh beside me.

"Good thing you got yourself together when you did. I don't think I could've held on for much longer. I can't believe I'm actually still alive. Must be a miracle."

I abandoned all thoughts of being tired and reached out towards the voice. Finding Gray's shoulder, I fell over on top of him. The relief I felt lifted my heart. I let out a heartfelt laugh while tears of joy trickled down my face. I could hardly believe it. He was still alive. We had both survived.

Hey, watch what you're doing!" Gray winced in pain at the sudden feel of my body weight. "You're heavier than you look. Geez." He then added calmly. "You did it, didn't you? I knew you'd been able to pull it off, partner."

"You're wrong," I cut him off, still smiling. "I didn't do it. _We_ did. I couldn't have done it alone. This victory is thanks to all of Fairy Tail."

"Whatever you say. We couldn't have done it without you either."

In silence, we laid there without moving. I enjoyed the peace and quiet. It felt as if it had been a while since I last had the chance to relax and let my guard down. This peace was quite pleasant and I took in every second of it.

Having stayed still for some time, I found myself beginning to listen to my surroundings. The silence had been broken by far away shouts which sounded like they were getting closer. I stood up while Gray stayed down, wounded as he was. Soon enough, the shouts were fully hearable.

"Jellal! Gray! Where the hell are you? Quit hiding and get out here!"

"Over here," I replied, immediately recognizing the voice. "Natsu! We're right here!"

It was all I could manage to say before running short of breath but it was plenty for Natsu's keen senses. In mere moments he had dashed through bushes and past smashed rocks, arriving at our location. He looked terrible, wrapped in bandages almost from head to toe, yet the look on his face was a happy one.

"Everyone, over here! I found them." He shot a teasing look at Gray. "And tell Wendy to hurry here too. Gray doesn't look too good."

"Shut up, flame-face," Gray grunted back at him. "You don't exactly look gorgeous either, you know."

I felt at ease listening to their banter despite their injuries. It was good that it was nothing too serious.

As Natsu jumped down from his rock to join us, several more people showed up: Lucy and Happy were right behind him followed by Wendy and Master Makarov. And there, in the back I could see Erza next to Zeref… along with the face of Lahar from the Council.

"Jellal…!"

Erza had only just eyed me before a relieved smile came upon her face. I was also glad to see her again. Along with everyone else, she came to our side. Once before me, she slapped her hand across my face before I could even blink. I turned my head back to look at her, rather shocked. She was not pleased.

"That was for running off without telling anyone and putting yourself in danger," she scolded harshly. "What in the world were you thinking? What if something had gone wrong? You could have…"

Her voice cracked and she hid her face in her hands, shoulders shaking. I put my arms around her, pulling her close.

"I'm sorry. I never meant to worry you like this… not any of you." I hugged her tighter, remembering her words from earlier. I knew how upset she must have been. "I'm so sorry, Erza."

"Ahem."

I had completely forgotten about the others present and at the sound of Makarov's voice, I quickly let go of Erza, slightly embarrassed. I had a feeling I was in for more trouble.

"While I probably should punish all of you brats for going directly against my orders and picking fights with the Magic Council, not to mention Acnologia…" Makarov's voice thundered. Then with a sigh, he smiled.

"But let us forget about that. What you did was something I had never thought possible and, in turn, you saved not just Fairy Tail or Fiore, but most likely all of Earthland from the Black Dragon. This is a time for celebration, not remorse." Makarov turned to the man with glasses in the back. "Surely the Council must agree, hmm?"

"That is certainly true," Lahar admitted, pushing up his glasses on his nose. "However, the orders of the Council are absolute." A tiny smirk appeared on his face. "But I must admit that it is no longer my place to judge you. I, and everyone else on this island, are alive because of your will to save us. I am certain the Council too will acknowledge you efforts."

"Besides, if these guys try to pull something funny, we've got your back." Gray gave me a thumbs-up. "We aren't going to let them get you this time."

The others voiced their agreement with Gray. Though I was worried about the Council's actions from here on out, knowing that I had Fairy Tail behind me reassured me quite a bit.

"Alright. Everyone is now finally accounted for." Makarov looked around at us. "It is time for us to return home. All of us."

Natsu helped Gray to stand and, despite the ice wizard's loud protests, supported him as they headed for the beach with Wendy, Lucy and Happy. Lahar and Makarov went along behind them, already in deep conversation. I had barely begun walking myself before Erza called out to me.

"Jellal, wait."

Turning around to look at her, she closed in on me, taking my hands in hers. My heart skipped a beat at the sudden and unexpected touch.

"Don't ever put your life on the line again like that. I told you: You have to live. Live and repent." She lowered her voice and her harsh expression softened. "If you hadn't come back alive, I…"

"You would never have forgiven me," I continued with a soft smile, remembering what she had said during the casting of Mavis' Fairy Magic. "I heard you. All of you." I leaned in, letting my forehead touch hers. "I had to come back. How else could I give you my answer?"

Erza looked puzzled at first, but as she gradually realized what I was speaking off she appeared to get nervous. I wondered if she was a bit embarrassed, knowing I had heard her every word. Now was the time to tell her.

"I love you too, Erza."

Before she could say anything in return, I planted a gentle kiss on her lips. At last I was able to show her how I felt and I had also confirmed it for myself: The feeling was mutual and probably had been for a while. I kept our lips together, savoring every second of being close to the woman I had fallen so deeply in love with.

But when out lips parted, I realized what I had just done: I had kissed Erza without warning her or asked her for permission. What had I been thinking? I could not just go ahead and kiss her without her consent.

"Erza, I'm-"

I was cut off by a hand on my mouth. Erza simply smiled at me, the most beautiful smile I had ever seen.

"Don't apologize. And I do not want to hear any excuses." She put her arms around me. "I'm so glad that you are still here with me. I don't know what I would do without you. I love you."

My entire body felt warm at Erza's speech. Hearing the words from her mouth made me so extremely happy. No matter what would happen from there on out, I knew we would be fine. We had each other. I was not alone anymore. I had Fairy Tail. I had Erza.

Returning to the others with Erza, one think stood crystal clear in my mind.

There was still hope for the future. We were all going to pull through.

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><p><em><strong>AN: **Does anyone have a count of how many times I've let poor Jellal pass out in this story? 3 times or something like that? I'm starting to make it sound as if he's anemic |D  
>AND SURPRISE SURPRISE~ Gray is still alive and kicking. Okay, maybe not "kicking" but hey, at least he's alive xD As if I could kill him. He's probably my second favorite character in the series.<em>

_Also, if any of are interested in some of the other Fairy Tail things I write beside this, you can check out **Kimyoushoujo on Tumblr.** I post a lot of drabbles, story excerpts and I might put up some oneshots in the future. Pretty much everything Fairy Tail on it includes Jellal |D Call me obsessed.  
>There are also other fanfiction material besides Fairy Tail. This includes Naruto, -man, Durarara! and Vocaloid among others. Please check it out~<em>


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